Knife Fight
by Avery Chase
Summary: Regina Mills is a successful heir apparent to Rupert Gold's massive restaurant empire. Emma Swan is a young up and coming pastry chef. The two rivals find themselves thrown together to launch a new kind of dining experience. I know little to nothing about restaurant running except what the net and TV tell me. Ongoing.
1. Risk Vs Reward

True story: I know little to nothing about running a restaurant except for whatever Chef Ramsay yells about or marathoning Food Network at 4am. Any errors are my fault. Any accuracies are totally my fault too.

Also a true story: I really liked the idea of these two being absolute rivals.

It's a little AU-esque. There's no magic…unless you've seen Simply Irresistable...in which case maybe.

Let me know what you think.

The wine was working wonders on her as she carefully sipped, half listening to Rupert Gold as he spoke rather arrogantly about how he had acquired the once struggling eatery after the original owner played a particularly poor hand of poker one night. He smugly raised his wine glass, toasting Regina. "In anycase dear, I believe you'd be an excellent successor to my vast empire." Their glasses clinked and she nodded, taking another generous mouthful of the red wine.

"I certainly hope I'm up to the task."

"Believe me, I wouldn't have asked you here if I didn't think you weren't up to it."

The early dinner rush made Emma's head spin.

The ranges were on full force, meats of various cuts and types searing away on grills, in pans, in sauces, broiled in the ovens. Seafood expertly prepared in a separate station, prepared for sushi, broils, ovens, the riot of scents overwhelming her nostrils as she washed her hands and made her way over to one of the prep stations. She found herself taking tickets and filling the orders herself, much to the chagrin of the Executive Chef. Nothing insulted him more than seeing her, a pastry chef, preparing his plates better than he did.

She finished plating and wiped her hands on her apron, catching his eye and smirking. He nodded and turned back to his station, chuckling to himself as she headed to her station to work on the desert menu.

"Psst."

Emma looked up and into a pair of mischievous green eyes. "Ruby…" she warned as her she watched Ruby popping a strawberry into her mouth. "You know you're not supposed to be back here…"

"And yet…" she stole another piece of fruit and braced herself on her elbows, watching as Emma prepped a tray of Crème Brule, expertly toasting the top.

"What do you need?"

"To get laid mostly. Would you believe that Lacey hasn't called me? Like, what the hell is that about?"

Emma's brow furrowed as she finished the last crème brule. "Probably trying to process her feelings. You do that to people you know."

"Do what?"

"Make them think they're insane for being around you."

"Ouch."

Emma smirked and picked up the tray, heading towards the relay station to start plating. She felt Ruby following close behind. "Don't let Gold see you back here. You look like a puppy dog."

"Takes one to know one. Have you see…_the Queen_…?" Ruby palmed another batch of berries, munching on them as she watched Emma set up each plate, decorating the plate with chocolate sauce and berries.

"The who?"

"Don't play dumb. You know who." She watched Ruby out of the corner of her eye. "Hell in heels. The Brunette Bombshell. Lady Voldemort."

Emma shrugged, her eyes narrowed as she designed leafing on plate after plate. She loved Ruby, she did, but when she was in a gossipy mood, it made her nuts. "You know when the Captain is on duty, I don't go beyond those swinging doors."

"God, you're being so stubborn. Regina Mills."

"Regina? She's here?" she almost squeezed out the contents of the piping across the whole of the prep station. Few things made her more anxious than knowing the woman who's sole mission was to crush her career was lurking around the very restaurant she'd been able to feel like she was safe in. "What is she here for?"

Ruby smirked. "No idea. Gold was with her earlier. She was in the special seats, you know, where they sit and watch your every move to make sure you're not sneezing in the salads or sticking your fingers in the steaks…"

"Explains why he smirked at me." Emma retorted, shaking out her shoulders and finishing out her plates.

"God, do you think he'd bring her here? That'd be so messed up."

"I wouldn't put it past him. Remember what he did to your grandmother…"

"Granny is fine. She's kicking ass in Park Slope, screw Gold."

"Terrible to hear that Miss Lucas. I'd grown so fond of you."

Ruby's eyes went wide as she slowly turned on her heel and towards the famed restaurateur. "I…"

"I do hope the next thing you say is, 'I was just on my way out with these delicious deserts as prepared by my talented pâtissier' " he smirked, head cocked to the side.

"Totally was." She quickly grabbed a serving tray, three plates and the order slips, immediately disappearing from the kitchen. She was beet red as she snuck out, praying that Gold wouldn't fire her once she returned.

"Ms. Swan, how are you this evening?"

Emma swallowed hard, preparing around round of desert: a molten chocolate cake with various treats to dip into the warm chocolate center. "Doing well, Monsieur Gold. How's the dinner rush?"

He smiled at her pleasantry. "Handled adequately, although, a certain someone isn't particularly pleased with your taking over some of the stations."

Emma shrugged. "Well, it was backing up and I know how cranky people get when they're paying through the nose so."

He nodded, watching as she finished the cake and placed it on the relay station. "Ever the savior." He mused as he eyed her. "I'm sure the kitchen won't burn to the ground if you take a moment." He gestured towards the back office, his manner still pleasant for someone Zagat called cold, calculating and ingenious in his approach to the New York dinner scene.

Emma was aware of his gaze on her as she wiped down the counter silently praying anyone else but Ruby would pick it up for the…VIP table. She followed, tucking her hands into the pockets of her jacket, hoping she wasn't about to be chewed out for indulging in Ruby's gossip. Regina Mills didn't intimidate Emma, not by a long shot. She'd spent most of her life working harder than most to make her dreams come true. She'd read every culinary book she could find, practiced with every piece of equipment she could find, applied for every grant and apprentice position she was eligible for in order to move up in the strangely competitive world of cooking. She just didn't appreciate Regina's frequent attempts to torpedo her blossoming culinary career because _she_ felt threatened. As she settled into the chair opposite Mr. Gold she hoped that the conversation wasn't about Ruby or Regina; she couldn't stomach either topic.

"Well Ms. Swan, it seems you've made quite the impact on the success of this restaurant." He smiled, his hands folding on top of his desk as he leaned on his elbows. "People are absolutely mad about your deserts and wine pairings as well as the overall operation of the cook staff here."

"Pretty sure the chosen one isn't pleased."

He chuckled. "Killian will be fine. This is a completely different animal from what he's used to."

"Comparing this place to Long John Silver is a _huge_ jump."

"He calls you the Chocolate Bitch." Gold chuckled. "I can see why you're at odds with one another, which is why I think this is the perfect time to discuss a change in venue."

Emma's heart dropped. "Are you firing me? Because I told Ruby…Miss Lucas not to…"

"Quite the contrary. I'm offering you a promotion."

Emma's cheeks pinked. She tried her best to not swallow her tongue. "Promotion."

"Yes. You see dear, I've acquired another restaurant that is in serious need of an overhaul and rather than hire those gaudy groups of vultures that sweep in under the cover of night to make a place work, I've decided to hire up from within." He opened up a nearby folder, sliding the paperwork over towards Emma, the corners of his mouth quirked into a satisfied smile. "Miss Swan, I'd like to offer you the head position for my latest restaurant." He watched as Emma reached across the desk, taking the paperwork gingerly in her hands, reading through the contract, her green eyes wide with surprise. Asides from occasionally stepping in when Killian was too busy trying to charm some of the female wait staff, she had never truly operated a restaurant before. Her career up until this point revolved around laying low, learning new tricks and continuing to perfect her craft. She toyed with the idea of opening up a small shop somewhere in Brooklyn, flirted with the idea of disaster with a food truck but something always kept her from jumping into those waters. She knew that she couldn't risk everything on a whim nor could she see herself being happy barely scraping by. She'd spent most of her life living that way, she wasn't willing to go back down that road, not after everything she'd learned so far. The idea of operating something as big as this, especially when it was Gold's next big idea wasn't part of the plan and she felt her heart pick up with anxiety.

"Mr. Gold I…" she looked up from the paperwork, her eyes glossy with tears. "I'm not sure I can do this."

"Miss Swan. You've been here for what, three years?" Emma nodded, her eyes darting between the sheet in her hand and her employer. "In that time you've shown yourself to be quite capable of running a kitchen, leading a rotating staff and keeping up with the standards that I've created here. I know your story. You've carried yourself by your own bootstraps and made a name for yourself. What I'm offering here is the opportunity to take the ball and run with it."

"What's the catch?" Emma asked suspiciously.

Gold chuckled, leaning back in his chair, his fingers steepled together like an old James Bond villain. "Well. You're essentially building from the ground up. I've hired a contractor, David Nolan and his wife Mary Margaret who'll work on interior design. They're very amiable and willing to work within the budget I've set forth, plus adjustments based on things you may notice in your preliminary visit to the site."

"Preliminary…"

"Yes, you see, the site is just a store front if you will. Barebones, there's nothing there. I've only just recently acquired it so it's the first of its kind to be truly made from nothing, something I thought you of all people could appreciate. I see the way you work in this kitchen Emma. You're an artist. You create experiences and moments for people; people you may never meet and the pride you take in that, well, that's not something you find often in our world. To be frank, you're wasting your talents here. Anyone can make the desert I just watched you assemble, but to truly _make_ something with the skills you possess. You can see why I thought you would be someone worthy of such a challenge. Of course, all of this is bearing entirely on whether you'll accept the offer."

"And if I pass?"

He eyed her intently, his fingers flexing in their steeple. "I have other options." He replied simply, "but I assure you Miss Swan, this is a chance you do not want to pass on." He leaned forward suddenly. "Take a night to think about it. See me in the morning."

"He did what? You're kidding me." Ruby growled as the whiskey burned down her throat. "He _offered_ you a big time job?!"

Emma shrugged, toying with her own tumbler of whiskey on the rocks. They'd closed out the restaurant at 11 and by midnight found themselves in their usual bar, The Rabbit Hole way down on Bleeker Street. Emma propped her feet up on Ruby's side of the booth, her boots nudging Ruby playfully. "I mean, I don't know if I'll take it but…"

"Emma. You'd be the biggest idiot I've ever met if you don't. _Gold _doesn't trust _anyone_ and he's just…handing you a…a…what is he handing you?"

She shrugged. "Whatever I want. If I say yes, he'll sign me on, we'll do the paperwork and I'd meet the guy working the site on Wednesday."

"My God. You'd think the guy was your fairy godfather or something." Ruby groaned, waving the server over with her empty glass, the ice tinkling for emphasis. The bar was packed for a Tuesday, loud roars from the nearby beer pong tables causing both women to jump every so often. "So. Are you going to do it?"

"I don't know. I mean…" Emma stared down at her drink, the ice bobbling around in the deep amber liquid. "It'd a _huge_ step, not even the baby steps I was considering with the bakery. I'd be responsible for everything, hiring, the design, the menu…it's…a lot."

"You basically run the kitchen now, what'd be so different?"

"If it burns to the ground it's totally my fault." Emma offered, taking a pull from her drink with a grimace.

"Listen. If you're only doing the _menu, _you're golden. I told you, Gran loves your pies and the little cookie things you do with the cookie inside…if you're going to make some hipster hot spot, those two things along will melt their faces."

"I don't know what Gold expects."

A fresh tumbler of whiskey appeared in front of Ruby who thanked the server with a seductive grin. "He expects to run New York by means of food and he wants you to be on his side. Suck it up and be his henchwoman."

Her head throbbed as she rolled over in bed, groaning at the sound of Ruby lumbering around the living room chatting animatedly with someone she kept calling "her moon." She rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling, straining to hear her roommate, her voice coming closer as she hip checked the door, peering in with a smirk. She mouthed _Guess I'm on the phone with _while handing over a small plate baring a freshly toasted bagel with a healthy dollop of cream cheese.

_Lacey?_

Ruby's face lit up as she nodded emphatically, flashed thumbs up and closed the door again. Chuckling to herself, Emma propped the plate on her stomach and pulled the bagel apart to try to evenly distribute the cream cheese. She was a bit envious of her roommate the torrid love affair she was in with the enigmatic bookworm Lacey Seville. They'd met while Emma and Ruby were trolling around Union Square's Strand Bookstore where Lacey accidentally dropped a book right on Ruby's head as they perused the shelves. Ruby's sailor mouth brought Lacey down from her perch, babbling a million apologies before both stopped and stared at each other. Emma almost threw up with how romantic the entire thirty second encounter was. Excusing herself, she let the two talk while she busied herself with cookbooks and Moleskines, occasionally spying on them as they spoke in the tall stacks of books, completely oblivious to the world around them.

Lacey had a boyfriend who'd made her a little skittish about relationships, which in turn caused Ruby, who avoided relationships like the plague skittish because she didn't know how to even approach a woman like Lacey without scaring her off. Emma and Ruby spent some of their shared shifts working on ways to bring Lacey out of her shell while at the same time teach Ruby to not be so blunt. It was slow going and after two months, they'd gone on their first official date, (which Emma catered) leading to five consecutive dates (no catering) and then a dry spell that'd driven Ruby mad. As the days rolled on, Emma watched as Ruby wrote letter after letter, leaving them at the store for her before finally giving up and hiding the letters in a drawer in her bedroom.

As she licked the cream cheese from her fingers, she could hear Ruby making her way back to her bedroom door. She hoped her friend had good news.

"Good news." Ruby chimed, jumping onto Emma's bed, nearly knocking the plate from it's precarious perch on Emma's stomach. "She's not mad at me."

"Who said she was?"

Ruby smacked Emma's thigh. "I did. Remember because she hadn't been calling or returning any of my messages. You know that's universal for 'I'm mad at you.'"

"OR she was busy with work."

"She totally was."

Emma rolled her eyes as she bit into the bagel. "You're impossible."

"She got my letters though. Said she really liked them." Ruby pulled her long multihued red hair into a messy bun, her nose scrunched up as she tied it back. A long time ago, Emma had entertained a relationship with the woman wearing her old high school track shirt but after one drunken night resulting in the both of them holding each other's hair while they took turns vomiting in the toilet, they decided they were better matched as friends. "She said she was sorry for getting distant and that she was processing a lot of the things that I'd said to her both in person and in the letters…"

"You call her my moon. That's intense."

"We both read _A Song of Ice and Fire._ It's totally acceptable pet name…."

Emma shrugged. "Sure Khaleesi."

"Emma. I'm being serious. I really really really like her. She's so…"

"Completely opposite of you."

"YES!"

Emma chewed her bagel thoughtfully, watching Ruby's teeth clenched her lower lip. "Ruby, it's been a couple of months…I mean…it takes time. It's not going to happen overnight and the both of us know she likes you. It was love at first book related concussion."

"I just…I want something to finally work out you know?"

"What makes you think it won't?"

Ruby groaned and flopped dramatically on the mattress. "I'm not worth anything."

Emma nudged Ruby with her right foot. She waited until Ruby turned her head and looked up towards Emma. "Shut up. You're worth a lot more than you give yourself credit for and I won't let you kick yourself because this girl is trying to wrap her head around whatever it was you said to her. Just, be patient. She called you, she wants to talk, just, don't rush. Let it happen."

"You're so good to me." She crawled her way up the bed and pulled Emma into a hug. "You really think it was love at first book concussion?"

"I walked around the 18 miles of books twice before you noticed I was gone."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Did you come up with a decision about Gold's offer?"

Emma's shoulders slumped as she deposited the empty plate on the nightstand and scrubbed her face with her hands. "No. And my shift is in a few hours."

"Okay. So, take what you just told me about Lacey and apply it to your own life."

"Don't call women my moon after a few months of maybe dating?"

Ruby smacked Emma with the broadside of a pillow. "No. You're worth a lot more than you give yourself credit for." She smiled as Emma finger combed her long blonde hair. "Besides, Gran and I can show you anything you need to know about running a shop, taking care of the books, hiring whatever. It's not as hard as you think."

"Thanks Ruby." Emma nodded with a heavy sigh.

"Now come on, help me pick out my outfit for my date tonight."

"You're here early." Killian beamed as he slipped out of his biker boots and slid into his black Crocs, his executive jacket open to reveal a tight black t-shirt. He was slipping off a black cuff and tossing it into his gym bag, watching as Emma made her way towards her locker, earbuds dangling from the tops of her ears.

"Yeah." Emma replied, opening her locker and tossing in her leather jacket. She tied her hair up into a ponytail before sweeping it all up into a bun.

"Did you hear?" he continued, a slow grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. He stretched his legs out in front of him, flexing his feet at the ankles. "Regina Mills is lurking about."

"I heard she was here yesterday."

"Ah, Miss Lucas spotted her I presume. She's quite…lovely isn't she?" he drawled, his English accent making him sound classier than the compliment.

"Who? Mills or Lucas?"

"Oh are we going to play who'd you rather, Swan? Didn't think you'd be game." He settled into his chair, a grin plastered onto his handsome features. "So. Lucas or Mills?"

Emma turned from her locker, bracing her right arm inside and cocking her head to the side. "Really?" she asked, exasperation in her voice as she tugged on her jacket.

"Oh c'mon love." He chuckled. "I won't tell."

"Honestly, Killian…you're acting like a five year old."

He chuckled to himself. "I'm far to dashing to be a five year old." He leaned forward on his elbows. "Seriously though, d'think she's here to take over?" the mischievous tone left and was replaced by something that sounded like genuine concern.

"Take over? What? The restaurant? Why? Doesn't she run the other half of New York that isn't part of Gold's empire?"

Killian shrugged. "I assumed so but…d'think they're working together? Like some King and Queen of foodie New York?"

"Like, she runs his restaurants and…"

Killian nodded. "I'd imagine they've got to have their eyes on some of the top places in this city. Would be quite the coupe if Gold left New York to take over someplace else wouldn't it? Leave her to watch the kingdom as it were…"

"You've been watching _Game of Thrones _again haven't you?"

"_Boardwalk Empire_ actually." He smirked.

"Well. I guess we'll find out tonight won't we?" Emma replied with a sigh, pulling out her work pants and shuffling off to the changing room.

She studied her reflection, her conversation with Killian floating around in her mind. She shuttered. He was right. If Regina was floating around the restaurant, it was highly probably that she was going to take over and as much as she feared the idea of starting from scratch with his investment, she had to admit that that scared her much less than having to answer to Regina Mills day in and day out. She ran the faucet, pooled water in her hands and brought it to her face. She was going to speak to Gold before the dinner rush.

"Emma." Rupert greeted after her polite knock at his door. "Come in."

"Hope you don't mind my stopping by a little ahead of my shift."

"Not at all. I assume you've thought about my proposal?"

Emma gave a tight-lipped nod. "I'm in."

She _thought_ she knew Lower Manhattan and as she doubled back onto the corner of Broome and Orchard Street, Emma was close to calling Gold and telling him the first thing he needed to do was not buy property so far downtown her phone was having trouble finding the address. She walked slowly along Broome Street checking the numbers for the storefront she hoped was under construction. She stopped alongside a couple seated in the payload part of an old Ford pick up, sharing a sandwich, their legs swinging as they giggled against each other, bumping shoulders. Her attention went back to her phone, the little blue dot stopping right alongside the large pushpin. She looked up at the building, a hollowed out first floor with exposed beams and dangling cables.

"Oh my God. You've got to be kidding me."

"Oh, it's not much but trust me, it'll be something in no time." A polite voice offered. She turned and watched as the handsome guy from the back of the truck made his way over, offering his hand. "David Nolan. You must be Emma Swan."

Emma took his hand, impressed with the firmness of his shake. "Yeah…"

"Not what you were expecting?" a female voice offered, a bright smile across her face.

"Not in the least…" Emma stuck out her hand to the woman. "You're Mary Margret I'm assuming."

She gave a nod. "Guilty." She saddled up to David, who notched his arm around her shoulder with a smile. "Don't worry. It looks bad now but just wait, we'll make this place something special."

"God I hope so, I'm taking a huge risk with this."

"Ah, from what Rupert says about you, you're gonna be fine. It always looks like a nightmare the first time you start something new, but you just have to have hope that it's all going to work."

A black sedan pulled up to the curb, pulling the trio's attention away from storefront. The door opened and out stepped Emma's real nightmare.

Regina Mills.

"Of course."


	2. Battleground

Emma's heart sank at the sight of the tailored suit wearing shark in heels as she sauntered over towards the storefront, pushing her aviator sunglasses onto the top of her head. She was still as flawless as the first time they'd met. Her hair was longer, framing her face in a way that made her seem much more pleasant than she was. Her stomach was sick as Emma watched a slow smile crossing her rival's face as she approached. Regina's smile broadened as she approached, her heart practically singing as took note of the change in Emma's color. She held out her right hand, a radiant smile nearly blinding Emma.

"Miss Swan, what a pleasure." She nearly crushed Emma's hand with her vice-like grip. She turned toward David and Mary Margaret, hand outstretched. "You must be The Nolans."

Mary Margaret's eyes practically bugged out of her skull as they exchanged handshakes and she took in the sight of the woman who seemingly struck fear in the hearts of everyone she met. "Well, he hasn't asked me yet but it rolls off the tongue nicely doesn't it?" she joked, nudging David with her shoulder.

"Quite." Regina replied, returning her attention towards a flustered Emma who silently prayed the ground would swallow her whole. She could feel Regina's chocolate brown eyes rake the length of her body. "Rupert said I would enjoy the challenge." she mused.

"Well, it's definitely a fixer upper but I'm pretty confident we can get it up and running in no time." David replied with a chuckle. "My guys are really good at what they do."

"Has it passed inspection?" asked Regina, approaching the grimey window and peering inside. "I don't see the seal of approval from the city."

"Ah, well, I did the inspection this morning. I'm just waiting for the paperwork to clear."

"A contractor and a city inspector. I'm impressed Mr. Nolan."

"Please, call me David." He blushed, earning another nudge from Mary Margaret. "It passes inspection, probably one of the most structurally sound buildings I've been through which is pretty remarkable considering how old the place is."

"Well David, is it possible to take a look around and see what we're working with?"

"Sure thing." He turned towards his pick up, fishing out two banged up black hard hats and holding them out to Emma and Regina. Regina eyed the scraped up hardware, a faded Nolan Contractors logo on the front in white surrounded by various stickers for sports teams she had no interest in. "Charming." She nodded, tucking her sunglasses into the collar of her button down and putting it on.

Emma took hers and put it on without much complaint. She almost threw up at David handed Mary Margaret hers.

They wore matching immaculate white hardhats.

"Shall we?"

"The thing I think works really well is the fact that all of this is original exposed brick and simplicity of the space. Did a little research and at one time it was a restaurant of some kind so there's still a lot of space in the back for a full kitchen with prep area and freezers although we may have to get a little creative with where things go, depending on what you ladies have in mind." said David, his hands tucked into the pockets of his Carhartt vest.

"Oh." Regina turned, brows knit in concern. "I assumed Rupert provided you with all the design details…"

"He did. He said, 'make sure it doesn't embarrass me opening night.'" David replied with a mock English accent. "So I guess the whole thing is yours."

Emma stopped examining the brick wall to her left, eyes wide mirroring Regina's concern. "Wait wait, I thought the only thing I was taking charge of the kitchen when it was done…Gold never mentioned having to play Bob the Builder."

"That's why I'm here." David offered with a smile. "And Mary Margaret. She's a brilliant designer."

Regina's mouth puckered, her cheeks sucked in with distaste. Rubbing her palms together she turned on her heel and stared at Emma, her head cocked to the side in question. "Gold hired you to run the kitchen?"

"Well, yeah…Why? What did you think I was here for?"

"I assumed it was to bring over some of your famous donuts while I handled his affairs here."

"He hired you to run this?" Emma asked, waving her right hand around the empty space in disbelief. "The whole thing?"

"Yes dear. What did you think? He'd entrust you with something of this magnitude?" Regina replied cooly.

David and Mary Margaret exchanged worried looks. "Uh, hey, why don't we just walk the space and then we can figure out the particulars at the truck…"

"What, you don't think I could do it?" Emma growled, her shoulders squared, completely ignoring David.

"There's a difference between bossing around wait staff, frosting a cake and running a successful business Ms. Swan."

Mary Margaret's cheeks pinked. She leaned into David, whispering into his shoulder. "This is going well."

"Really." David deadpanned.

Regina's eyes narrowed. "David, Mary Margaret, let's walk around. I want to get a feel for _my_ restaurant." She flashed him a brilliant smile before turning her back towards Emma and strutting towards the back of the space. Emma clenched and unclenched her jaw, hands balled into fists as she turned on her heel to follow the troupe.

"The exposed beams really give it a great rustic kind of feel. I think it lends itself to an old, enchanted place, don't you?" Mary Margaret's lit up as they returned to the main portion of the space. "It feels like magic can happen in here."

"All the power outlets and everything can be updated, gas will be easy to pump in here so we would really only have to figure out _what_ it is we're doing with this place. I've got a guy who can take care of all that quickly."

Emma eyed the beams, her hands jammed into her back pockets. "It could be a really classy dive bar."

"Excuse me?" Regina barked as she ascended the rear staircase, dusting off her hands. "Did I hear correctly? A _dive bar?"_

"Yeah." Emma nodded towards the ceiling. "Maybe we flip it into a lodge, cabin in the woods kind of classy Middle Earth Lord of The Rings kind of bar. Big wood hand carved tables…sconces, mood lighting." She rotated slowly on her heel, looking around the space. "It's already got that lower basement we can turn into additional seating."

"Like a Viking tavern?" David asked, looking around with a smile on his face. "Yeah, with a big fireplace right over there," he pointed across from where they stood. "Small barback here, proper dining further back…" he nodded with approval. "Nice call Swan."

Regina's cheeks pinked. "Absolutely not. That doesn't land with the vision that Mr. Gold has for this space…We're talking about Vikings and dive bars when the money funding this is elegance and class. That _basement_ is a perfect storage cellar for wines and goods, not people."

"It could serve both actually." David replied with a shrug.

"Regina?" Emma said, folding her arms across her chest. "He said it's our vision, whatever we want it to be as long as we don't embarrass him."

"I'm thinking he'd be embarrassed by what was just _discussed_, nevermind actually doing it." Regina scoffed.

"It's not like we have to be _married_ to an idea just yet but…" Mary Margaret offered.

"I've got the floor plans in the truck so, when we're done inspecting everything, we can take a look at the space, maybe come up with ideas." David added, suddenly aware that the claws were coming back out again.

"Yes. Let's look at the plans, we'll see what really works." Regina replied haughtily, turning towards the door and heading outside into the brilliant late spring sunshine.

"For what it's worth, I think it's a pretty awesome idea." David said, saddling next to Emma. "I really think we can sway her on it."

"Are you kidding? Do you see the way she is? She always gets her way." Emma shrugged.

"Eh, you'd be surprised. Mary Margaret can be quite convincing when she thinks something is just too good to let go of."

"Thanks David."

"Sure thing." He held the door open for Emma before turning and locking it. He brought down the storm shutters and locked up the site. "Well ladies. I don't know about you, but I'm really excited to get started on this."

"I appreciate the enthusiasm David but we haven't exactly decided on the overall approach." Regina replied holding out her hard hat and finger combing her shoulder length brown hair. She slipped her aviators back on. "I'd appreciate it if you'd start with clearing out whatever else needs to be cleared out and we'll meet next week to discuss particulars."

Three different sets of eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Oh. Well. Uh. We're cleared actually. Like I said, I'm just waiting for the paperwork from the city and we'll get started on everything."

Regina's lip curled. "So the space as it is, is the space as it will be?"

"Well, yeah. See, we could start covering up the beams and everything but…to be honest, sticking something glossy around a place like this with all the history this neighborhood has…" his face scrunched up before he spoke, "it's stupid. I think that we can start working on bringing in the kitchenware and start building out from there. Atleast until we've figured out the approach for the space. I've got a great guy who can set up a warehouse meeting with all the stuff needed for the kitchen, refrigeration…"

Regina let out a slow sigh. "I see. Well David, I appreciate the work you're doing. I'm going to head uptown to see Mr. Gold and discuss everything." She stuck out her right hand again, shaking Mary Margaret and David's hand with a violent politeness. "Miss Swan. A pleasure, as always." She turned, car keys jingling in her left hand.

"Of course she drives an old Mercedes." Emma muttered as the car started, Regina backed out and merged into the flow of traffic. "Bitch mobile."

David chuckled. "She's…something." He patted down his pockets and pulled out a battered business card. "My office number and on the back is my cell, give me a call and let's talk. Maybe the three of us can come up with something that'll sway Gold enough to override Regina."

Emma took it and smiled. The Nolan logo was a sword flanked by two wings. "Thanks you guys."

"Anytime."


	3. Where The Heart Is

Regina's knuckles were white as she gripped the steering wheel, irritation rising in her chest. Swan. After all these years, all her accomplishments, that blonde always managed to show up and throw a wrench into her plans. She should've known better, she was dealing with her mentor and oldest friend in Rupert. It should not have surprised her to see Emma standing there, looking completely useless as ever in front of what was sure to be Regina's real journey in the fast paced world of fine dining.

She remembered what her mother said to her upon graduation. "Every opposition to your success should be crushed as soon as you see it." Clearly not Hallmark card material but a part of it was worth reminding herself of. Emma was opposition sure but Rupert trusted her, something that piqued her interests. Gaining the trust of someone like Rupert Gold was nearly impossible and once gained, meant you were on track to anything and everything worth having. As much as it irked her, seeing Emma today meant that the woman obviously had serious potential. She gripped the steering wheel tight, her knuckles white as she stopped at a red light. If this was going to work, she was going to have to swallow some of her pride because if Gold trusted her that made Emma someone she would have to keep her close. She wasn't someone wasn't going to lose to some upstart with luck on her side. She was going to talk to Gold, get some answers and make sure this was going to end in her favor. The Mercedes purred its way up the FDR bound for midtown and Gold.

She thankfully found parking not far from the restaurant. Killing the engine she sat in the seat for a moment, listening to the body settling down. She checked her watch, slipped her Bluetooth earpiece in and dialed her son, Henry.

"Hey ma."

"That's it, that's all I get?"

"What? Was I supposed to answer with a "Hello mother, Henry Mills the second at your service?"

"That would've been a nice change of pace."

He laughed. His voice was already a deeper timber, cracking on occasion when he laughed or was particularly animated about something. He'd been her source of pride since he'd been born and knowing that he was growing up made her ache for the times she spent fussing over his every move.

"I'm just getting out of practice." he said, his voice muffled for a moment.

"How was it?"

"You know…it's…fencing…so…nothing like the movies."

"Of course it isn't. I don't know why you thought that was such a good idea."

"You almost passed out when I asked you about football tryouts. Trust me, this is much better."

"Ah yes because the idea of two people stabbing at each other for points is much safer than crashing into each other for mere inches."

"When you put it that way mom…I should've just stayed home."

"Well I offered." She smiled. "I've got a few things I have to wrap up and then I'll be on my way home. What are you in the mood for for dinner?"

"Is it something that I can pronounce?"

Regina pulled a face. "The _few _times that I make something a little outside of your comfort zone…"

"That coco van stuff was terrible."

"I'll have you know my _coq au vin_ was rated the best at Straddler Grill on Park young man." She couldn't help the chuckle that escaped at the sound of his groaning. "Fine, gentleman's choice for dinner."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Anything I want."

"Anything."

"Pizza."

"Really?"

"Something I can pronounce, that was the deal."

"How about we split the difference. I'll pick up a few things and we'll _make_ pizza for dinner."

"Bring bacon."

"I will bring all the bacon I can."

"Thanks mom."

"Don't forget, homework first, Playstation second. Got it?"

"I got it. I got it. See you soon."

Regina hung up, feeling a little more centered after the call with Henry. Tossing the Bluetooth into her purse and pocketing her phone she got out of the car and headed towards the restaurant. She had business to finished.

The staff gave wide berth as she made her way towards the hostess' stand where a very terrified looking young woman stood, the pen in her left hand nearly snapping in her grip.

"Is Mr. Gold on the premises?" Regina asked, all business.

"I think he's in his office." The girl squeaked out. "I can go check…"

"Nevermind, I'll find him." She took off towards the back, barged into the kitchen and making her way for Gold's office.

She found him with his head bowed, pen working a mile a minute as he wrote. To someone who didn't know him, he seemed almost homely and polite, a sweet older man with a penchant for tailored designer suits and a dapper walking cane. She and most of New York's elite knew the calculating businessman he was but in this moment, he was a simple man just working on his craft.

"If you stare any longer dear I might ask if you wanted to take a picture."

"That's the long way of saying take a picture it would last longer." Regina replied entering his office and closing the door.

"Some of us don't have fourteen year old boys keeping us abreast on the latest smartass remarks." Rupert replied, closing his books and folding his hands on top of it, a small smirk on his face. "How is Henry these days?"

"Doing well, thank you."

"I assume you saw the space."

"I did. I also saw your little curve ball. What are you playing at?"

"I assure you, Miss Swan is not a curve ball. She's just as valuable as you are in the grand scheme of things."

Regina sat down, crossing her legs at the ankle and eyeing Rupert as though he was on display. "Do tell."

"Miss Swan is a talented, hardworking, creative young woman who deserves the opportunity to make something of herself. She's one of my best employees."

"Then why risk her?"

"Because you don't have people skills, Regina."

Regina was stunned. She struggled to keep her composure, her eyes a storm of emotions before she settled on keeping as neutral as possible. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from blurting out something she would regret later. "I didn't know people skills was something you needed."

"Regina, when you enter into something like this, you can't just…bulldoze your way in. You have a unique skillset, _she_ has a unique skillset."

Regina barked out a laugh. "This is the stuff of reality show legend, Rupert. You wine and dine me, tell me that your empire isn't complete without someone like me and then you tell me I _lack_ people skills?"

"I can only work with what I've been given. Contrary to popular belief, I am only human."

"I don't get it."

"What's not to get, dear?"

"You promised me that restaurant. Everything. You promised me everything."

"And it is yours to take, Regina. You just have to _work_ for it. What's so difficult to understand?"

Regina's hands clasped and unclasped in her lap. "If it all comes together, it's under my command?"

"Yes. Everything."

Regina waited a beat, her dark brown eyes studying the wall behind Gold, reading titles of books behind him. "She wants to make it some kind of Viking dive bar."

"Splendid."

"What?"

"It suits the area."

"A tavern. You want me to oversee some _tavern._"

"Do you have other ideas?"

"Several."

"The voice them. Everything is already taken care of insofar as construction and necessary overhead. I told you, the concept and execution lands on you." He leaned forward, bracing himself on his elbows, a sly grin on his face. "She has people skills Regina. Think about what you have. "

"What I have is a headache."

"What you _have _dearie, is a unique opportunity to make an impact in the very thing you say you've struggled to make your mark in. Do you really think I'd handicap you with Emma Swan knowing that my personal reputation and my _money_ is on the line? I wouldn't gamble on either of you if I wasn't confident in the outcome."

"So she's done here? She's my problem full time?"

"No, she will report here and train her replacement. She's still a factor in your success."

"So it's a part-time headache."

"For now." He stood up, buttoning his blazer. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to rally the troops as it were."

"This isn't over." Regina grumbled, standing and adjusting herself as Rupert rounded his desk to leave.

"I don't expect it to be."

Regina hip checked the front door, her arms laden with groceries as she called out for Henry. He jogged out of his room, a pair of headphones dangling from around his neck, a Playstation controller in his hands. "I could've _sworn_ I said homework first." Regina said, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Wasn't much to do." replied Henry, depositing the headphones and control onto the dinner table and making his way over to his mother. He took two of the heaviest bags and carried them into the kitchen, careful to not make eye contact with her.

"You know I'm going to check it right?"

"Yeah." He fished out a big bag of potato chips.

"Hey, no." Regina warned, swatting his hand. "Dinner first."

"It's an appetizer…"

Regina pulled a bag of apples out, holding it out to Henry. "Ma…" he grumbled helping himself to an apple anyway. "What's the point of buying the chips if I can't eat em?"

"Moderation, self control…discipline. Not eating potato chips before dinner is a metaphor for life." She continued to unpack, directing Henry in stocking the pantry up in between her daily afterschool inquisition. Once everything was unpacked, Regina excused herself to her bedroom, changing into her favorite sweatpants and oversized t-shirt. Tying her hair up into a ponytail, she made her way back into the kitchen and was pleased to see Henry already donning his apron. "Happy to see my sous chef is ready."

Henry grinned. "It's pizza. I'm always ready."

She never felt more comfortable than when she was in the kitchen, puttering around with various pots simmering, the heady combination of scents, the simple pleasure in creating something completely unique, even if it was just pizza. Her mother was a good cook, her father even better but she'd spent most of her time with her grandmother, learning everything she could. When she was sent off to boarding school, she gained an appreciation for the campus kitchen, spending free time with the cooking staff and learning whatever she could. Once she started college, her love of cooking to a backseat to her mother's desire that she have a real career. So she compromised, studying business with a focus on hospitality management while working part time with a catering company. She enjoyed the experience and chaos that comes with working real events, she needed a challenge and once the summer was over, she started research on culinary schools. Armed with her MBA and no debts, she set off for culinary school, damn her mother's wishes. Regina had never been more proud of herself than the day she completed her schooling and set off to conquer the world, one recipe at a time.

She set Henry to task with rolling out pre-made pizza dough, olive oil rounding the edges while she finished the homemade sauce. She added a dash of garlic powder to the simmering pot, stirred it and gave it a taste. It was perfect if she did say so herself. "How's the dough coming along?"

"Good to go" Henry replied, slicing thick pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese. "I've got the cheese ready."

"Perfect. Cut them a little thinner and once I let the sauce cool, we'll throw the whole thing into the oven." She smiled at him as he delicately sliced down the cheese, thinning out the pieces and plating them while Regina stirred the cooling pot of sauce.

"Can we put bacon on it?"

"It's perfectly good fresh basil and mozzarella and you want to out bacon in it. Proscuitto maybe but it becomes a cold pizza and you didn't care about it when I prepared it before"

"Mom, that's not bacon. Everything is better with bacon."

Regina slid out another roll of dough, flattened it out, took the brush with olive oil and seasoned the edges. "You'll get a _separate_ bacon pizza then. We're not sullying the flavor of this one with bacon, no matter how good your argument is." She slowly ladled on the sauce onto the first pizza, a smirk on her face as he eagerly grabbed the bacon and began dicing the uncooked meat. "Think you can cook that?" she asked watching as he carefully cubed the pieces, his hand steady as he worked.

"I did it when I made the omelets that time." Henry replied, turning from the island and turning on the range, a low flame springing to life. "I've seen you do it enough times."

"I'm impressed. I didn't think you were paying attention…" Regina admitted, watching as he scooped the bacon bits into the warmed pan, the meat immediately sizzling on contact.

"I pay attention mom." Henry replied, "You think I don't but I do." He smiled, watching the bacon brown and taking a deep inhalation. "Is there anything better than bacon?" he asked dreamily as Regina took a step towards him, kissing the top of his head as best she could. He was a young man and it alarmed her to see him growing, maturing, _cooking_ and becoming confident in himself.

"No there isn't." she admitted, ruffling his hair as he turned off the flame and pushed the pieces around on the pan, making sure everything had been cooked. "Okay, so, now what Chef Henry?"

"So, you put the sauce on, then the cheese. I'll handle the bacon and both go into an oven preheated to 400 and in twenty minutes, we'll have pizza." He grinned as Regina began saucing both pizzas, laying out the sliced mozzarella and pieces of fresh basil.

"Well done. You might be a great sous chef someday."

"I like cooking little things for fun mom, you know I'm not crazy about the really fancy stuff…" he replied, taking his time with his pizza pie.

She sliced up the pies, plating two slices each before joining Henry in the dining room. He beamed as she entered holding the plates. "I knew you were going to want to have a slice with bacon."

"I'm giving it a try. How's that?"

"That'll work." He smiled, helping himself to his plate. "How was that thing you were telling me about? That Mr. Gold wanted you to do."

Regina bristled. "Ah, yes. Well. That…I'm not sure about that."

"Why not, you sounded excited about it. What's wrong?"

Regina busied herself with chewing, hoping that her suddenly intuitive son wouldn't ask such astute questions. "Well. It's a little more than I thought it was going to be, that's all."

Henry raised his eyebrows in an 'annnd' kind of way.

"I'm not sure it's going to work out."

"Why not?"

"Well, because…I'm not sure it's something I should be doing right now."

"Mom, you pretty much run everything that Mr. Gold does and he likes you so I don't understand why you would feel like you can't do something now."

"I'm not seeing eye to eye with some of the people who I'm working with."

"It's like you told me about Tommy Collazo. He's there because you need to work harder."

Regina shook her head, blotting her mouth with a napkin. She had forgotten she'd softened up her mother's mantra for her son. "You're right."

"It's the bacon."


	4. If You Can't Stand The Heat

Emma found herself walking around downtown killing time, her mind drifting between disbelief, resolution and despair. On the one hand, she knew that she _should_ take the job, after all, she would be reporting more to Gold than she would to Regina. If Regina ran the restaurant, she would spend most of her time off in the office or hobnobbing in the front with clients while she was in the kitchen, making things happen. On the other hand, she knew it would be a nightmare dealing with her in any capacity. They hadn't had a great relationship when their paths crossed that summer in the Hamptons, Regina thinking she was the best thing to happen to the small catering company and bossing everyone around. She respected her because that's just the way the company operated; the senior most person on staff for the event ran the show. She was only obligated to listen because phantom rules said so. Regina was smart, yes, capable but she didn't have the personality to make these high profile events run without a hitch. Then again, they were in their twenties when they met, Regina was a hot shot college educated classic Mercedes Benz driving control freak while she managed to put together enough money to buy an old Volkswagen after finishing off the last of her student loans. For all she knew, Regina was more _slightly _levelheaded and it was the shock of seeing her for the first time in years that made them both feel uncomfortable and confrontational.

Maybe she feared Emma was going to wind up saving her ass again.

Maybe she feared she might enjoy it.

Sighing, she headed into a small restaurant, texting Ruby the name and waiting to see if her friend would show up before her date.

She settled into a far corner booth, ordered a Coke and picked at some French fries. She kept her eye on the door and couldn't resist the smile that crossed her face as Ruby entered, wearing the complete opposite of the outfit they'd agreed upon. Lacey agreed to a date tonight instead of the night before but Ruby being a clothes horse, dug out as many options as possible, putting on a fashion show and asking Emma for her opinion. After suggesting a light blazer, slinky tank top, leggings and her favorite red Converse sneakers Ruby now wore heels, leggings and a black leather jacket.

"Subtle. I like it." Emma jibbed as Ruby approached, tucking her sunglasses into the collar of the low top.

"Shut up, you like it…" Ruby slid into the booth across from Emma. "So. She's your _boss?" _

"I don't know if that's what it is but..."

_"Business partner?"_

"I don't even know."

"Holy hell." Ruby reached for a fry, dunked it into ketchup and bit it. "Although, it kind sounds like something Mr. Gold would do. Wait. Does he know? About you two?"

Emma let out a mirthless laugh as she stirred the straw in her drink, the ice bumping around in the hard plastic cup. "I have no idea. Funny thing is, I asked if there was a catch, he didn't mention her. At. All."

"Well, can you…drop out?"

"Honestly?" Emma leaned forward on the table, hands wrapped around her cup, rolling it between her palms. "I wouldn't drop out. It'd give her too much pleasure."

"Yuck. I don't think I want to hear the word pleasure and Regina in the same sentence." Ruby replied with a mock shiver. "So what happened?"

Emma recounted what happened that afternoon, aware that Ruby was only partially listening, her eyes darting every so often to her cell phone. "So it basically feels like the plot to some terrible reality show."

"I don't think reality shows get plots hon."

"You know what I mean…" Emma replied, rolling her eyes. "It just seems like I'm being set up."

"Yeah but who would be setting you up and what for? I mean, if we're assuming there's a set up."

Emma shrugged. "No idea."

"Isn't she some mafia don's daughter or something? Maybe she's setting you up to get whacked and mount your body in the freezer…"

"Really Ruby…she's not a mafia anything. She's just one of those well-connected New York royalty types who gets everything handed to them. Or they take it from people who earned it fair and square."

Ruby shrugged, helping herself to more fries. "Or a mafia don's daughter…" she chewed as Emma stared wistfully out of the nearby window, watching pedestrian traffic. "You think she's still bitter about that night?"

"Honestly? I wouldn't be surprised if she still carried a grudge. BUT. I don't think she'd put a hit on me."

"I dunno." Ruby singsonged while waiving down the waiter for a glass of lemonade. "You really made her look like an ass."

"It wasn't on purpose."

"Oh _c'mon_ Swan! You basically saved her ass at one of the _premiere _Hamptons parties. Why do you think Gold even paid attention to you?"

"Gee, thanks Ruby."

"I meant that in the best way ever. You, Emma Swan, snatched the White Party from the jaws of defeat with what you did. I mean when you think about it, it's impressive."

"You and I remember that night _very_ differently." Emma replied, dunking a fry into the ketchup. "I just don't get why she's so hesitant to say that something she didn't come up with is a great idea. What's the problem? Is she mad she didn't think of it or something? Does everything have to be just like everything else?"

"Seeing as the two of you are going to be working together, you should just ask her. Air it out. Get it out of the way because as much as Gold likes you, he's known her forever, so guess who's side he'll be on when the complaining starts."

"The side with money coming in." Emma deadpanned.

"That can be your side. Oh, speaking of," Ruby pawed through her purse and pulled out an envelop, a small stamp in the center. "Gran sent this for you. She said you're gonna have to stop by, make more pies and those little cookies inside of cookie things and you know, say hi."

"Emma peered into the envelope. "I can't accept this."

"I could, but she'll know that I kept the money, she's weird like that."

"Mostly because you _have_ kept money, Ruby." Emma chastised.

"No but seriously. What are you going to do about this whole thing with the she who must not be named?"

Emma shrugged and leaned back in her seat, the plastic creaking underneath her. "I don't plan on walking away from something that's mine."

"You think the restaurant is yours?"

Emma weighed Ruby's words, taking a slow sip from her soda. "Well, you said the Gold likes me and he did trust me with something like this so…I guess…maybe after all this time of barely making it, I've made it. I'm going to make it. I've got something that's mine."

"There's my Emma! That is what I like to hear!" Ruby hooted, slamming her hands with excitement on the table, rattling the dishware and startling the rest of the patrons. She giggled and brought her voice low. "It's on like Donkey Kong."

"I guess so."

"Oh my God Em, I'm so excited for you. Gran is going to lose her mind." Ruby grinned, wriggling in her seat with excitement.

"I'm gonna lose my mind…" Emma replied with a chuckle. "What're you and Lacey going to do?"

"Oh, simple, see a movie, nothing crazy." Ruby shrugged. "I dunno, I really feel like there's a special connection between us."

"So you're going to sit in a darkened room, eating popcorn and not talking."

"Well, I'll be courteous and hold her hand, maybe try the old yawn and whoops, I've got your shoulder move."

"True romance."

"Don't be jealous." Ruby stole another fry. "Seriously, when are you going to think about something that isn't work though? Maybe date. What happened with you and Killian?"

Emma shrugged.

"Well. I mean, if you _ignore_ the other stuff, I'm pretty sure he'd be totally fine with…"

"Ruby." Emma warned, finishing off the plate of fries. "Go meet up with your date, I'll have something that might be dinner in the stove for you. Assuming you don't have a hot sleepover."

"Well, aren't you considerate." Ruby smirked, tossing a balled up napkin at Emma. "Let's see where the night takes me, hm?"

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Regina poured herself a glass of wine and padded towards her office, knocking on Henry's door to remind him of lights out at 11. She knew he'd turn the lights out but keep his phone on or something else electronic until later on in the night. She switched on her laptop and sat down, tucking her legs underneath, watching the screen boot up. Her eyes drifted above the screen, taking in the sight of the awards and photos decorating the wall. She opened up her browser and pulled a few examples of interiors she wanted to see. She quickly typed up a menu, sipping her wine as she carefully assembled her arsenal. If she was going to be strong-armed into this, she was going to strong-arm right back. Her name, her reputation was on the line and she wasn't going to be forced into some kind of folly because Gold was too impressed with Emma Swan.

She opened a fresh tab and pulled up the restaurant, clicking through the team menu. She scrolled through, her lip curled at the sight of Killian Jones, Gold's executive chef. From his photo he looked more like a pirate than a world-class chef his bio proclaimed him to be. She stopped at the sight of Emma in a pristine white jacket, hair pulled up into a bun the corner of her mouth tugged into some semblance of a smile. _Of course she looks smug._ Regina thought, reading through the bio even though she knew the important part of the story was missing.

She took another sip of wine, letting it settle onto her tongue. It was 9:45 at night and she knew Gold would still be at the restaurant. She reached for her phone and dialed him, leaning back with the phone pressed to her ear, a slow smile crossing her lips.

"Regina, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'll take the ridiculous idea and run with it. Have Emma meet us tomorrow before the start of her shift. I want to finalize everything between us and get started as soon as possible."

"Ah. Willing to swallow some pride are you?" he practically giggled as he slid into his car, tossing his cane into the passenger seat. "I hope you're washing it down with some good wine."

"I know what needs to be done and if you want to maintain your reputation as the proprietor of some of New York's finest eateries, then I suppose I'll have to."

He chuckled. "Dearie, do it for yourself. I'll be fine whether it works or not."

Regina shook her head. "It's still your investment."

"Good night Regina. I'll see you tomorrow at two." He hung up, a smile pulling at the corners of his face. He quickly dialed Emma, pressing the phone's speaker function before starting his car. He frowned when he was greeted by Emma's short voicemail message. "Ms. Swan. It's Rupert Gold, I'd like for you to come by early tomorrow. We have much to discuss."

Emma's phone buzzed on the nightstand, causing her to grumble and reach out for it. She saw a missed call from Mr. Gold and a voicemail icon. She grunted, sat up and listened to the message.

_"Ms. Swan_. _It's Rupert Gold, I'd like for you to come by early tomorrow. We have much to discuss." _

"Ah crap." She had gotten home, stripped down to her tanktop and underwear and crashed face down into bed. She wasn't sure if she should call the man back but figured, if he'd left the ominous message, then he knew she'd show up at the crack of dawn if she had to. He had a strange pull over people that way. After scrolling through her messages to see if Ruby left any updates, she made her way into the small kitchen and made herself a peanut butter sandwich. "Years of cooking and I'm living on peanut butter sandwiches." She mumbled to herself, pouring out a glass of milk before settling back in bed to watch Netflix.

Her alarm went off, startling her and nearly sending the laptop tumbling from her lap to the floor. She blinked rapidly, gaining her bearings before checking the time. 10am. She scrubbed her face with her hands, closing the laptop and pushing up out of bed. She plugged in her phone to charge, pulled on some sweatpants and padded out of her bedroom towards Ruby's. She knocked and waited before knocking again. After a moment, Ruby answered, bleary eyed, blocking Emma's view with her body. Emma gave her a tight-lipped grin. "Morning."

"Shut up." Ruby replied, glancing over her shoulder towards the sleeping form in bed.

"Good night?"

"Unless you're making breakfast, go away." Ruby playfully hissed, wrapping herself up in her blanket.

"Do I atleast get a thank you for the late night dinner?"

"A thousand of them. Now _go_." Ruby nudged Emma with a foot to the shin and closed the door.

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Her shift didn't start until four with prep for dinner and the occasional high end night cap for the business meeting crowd and she typically showed up early anyway but today, she felt like the world was staring her down. She strolled in at a quarter to two in the afternoon, tucked her shades into her shirt and headed towards the back, taking a deep breath before heading to Mr. Gold's office.

"Swan." Killian greeted as he finished signing in. "A minute?"

Emma stopped and nodded, shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket, fiddling with the lining.

"Listen, I wanted to give you fair warning. Regina is here today. She's with Gold. I think what we talked about might be happening sooner than we thought."

Emma looked past him towards the double doors as the lunch crew worked. "Yeah I know." She brought her eyes back to him, enjoying the little hint of panic in his face and tone. "Worried?"

"Not really, no. I was thinking about you though." He offered hopefully, the right side of his mouth quirking into a smile. "I know you two don't quite get along."

"I'm a big girl Mr. Jones. I'll be fine."

"Yes, well, can't blame a bloke for trying." he nodded and turned on his heel. "I'll see you in there yeah?"

"I wouldn't be anywhere else."

She tossed her bag into her locker, thinking about Ruby's suggestion and how eager Killian was to spend time with her. She could do worse, much, much worse but she couldn't bring herself to fall back into Killian's charms. He'd dragged some of their relationship baggage into the kitchen and that had soured her to him completely. She broke it off and left the restaurant for a month, working out of Granny's shop and avoiding all manner of communication from him until Gold showed up with Killian in tow and the three of them sat down, aired out their grievances and agreed that if Killian were to ever try anything like that again, he'd be a fry cook at McDonalds in Ohio.

Gold's word.

It boiled down to the baser instinct: he was extremely good looking and Emma was lonely. She shook her head. She wouldn't go down that road again, especially since they'd been so civil. She made her way up to Gold's office and said a silent prayer for strength before knocking on the door.

"I assumed we'd have to send a search party out for you." Regina jibbed, turning at the sound of Emma's knock.

"What…" Emma feebly replied as she slowly entered the office. "I…Mr. Gold said I should come by early…What're you doing here?"

"We have much to discuss Ms. Swan. Please, close the door and have a seat." Rupert offered, his mouth quirked into a tight-lipped smile.

Emma sat down, eyes darting between Gold and Regina. She felt like she was a helpless animal trapped between two very dangerous vipers. Her heart started racing and for the first time since the day she left her last foster home, she was truly afraid. "Ok so…about yesterday…."

"I understand you have a splendid idea for the location." Rupert chimed in, pulling out paperwork and setting everything on his desk. "Regina tells me you were inspired by the old world, yes?"

Emma's mouth hung open.

"You'll catch flies with honey faster than with you mouth wide open." said Regina curtly. "And that's giving Ms. Swan much too much credit. Mr. Nolan and Ms. Blanchard were quite helpful in creating a picture as it were. Decidedly a team effort."

"You hated the idea." Emma replied, snapping back to reality, brows furrowed with confusion.

"Yes and after much consideration and research, it would appear that it's not as _terrible_ an idea as I thought."

"That almost sounded like you were _apologizing._"

Rupert's eyes darted between the two women in front of him: One in a dark grey pantsuit the other in a battered red leather jacket and skintight jeans. They were complete opposites and after all these years, still managed to compliment each other in ways that perplexed him. He hoped that this grand experiment worked because if it did, it was going to pay off.

"It wasn't an apology. It was an admission that if you can't beat them, join them."

"Then beat them with an I told you so stick, right?"

Regina cocked her head to the side, a sickeningly sweet smile on her face. "Don't worry _Emma_, I won't aim for the face."

"Ladies…" Rupert interrupted, holding out two contracts to both women. "This is the agreement in full." He allowed them to take the papers, watching as both sets of eyes carefully read through the wording in front of them. "Now, we're all in agreement that construction will begin shortly pending submission of designs to me for approval."

"Just so I'm clear, what does everyone do, specifically…?" Emma asked, flipping to the next page of the document, cheeks pinking at the idea that Gold was about to vocalize her fear.

"Ms. Swan, it is my esteemed pleasure to inform you that you will be the executive chef for the restaurant while Ms. Mills oversees general operation and management." He smiled and Emma felt her stomach drop.

"She's my boss."

"Oh Emma, don't take it so personally. I'm sure you've learned how to follow directions."

"You are peers, especially in the capacity that you will be working. The two of you are building the menu, the staff and décor from the ground up. I expect to be thoroughly impressed on opening night in October."

"Well, we still need to meet with the contractors to see what we can build, assuming her highness is being honest about agreeing to the build. Then we've got to see if we're even capable of pulling off that kind of construction not to mention that I've got _tons_ to do here for the summer menu…"

Rupert held up his right hand, effectively silencing Emma's rant. "Your position has already been taken care of. "

"Wait. You're _firing me?!"_ Emma's voice notched several octaves higher, drawing a wide-eyed reaction from the smug brunette next to her. "Where does that even show up in the paperwork?!"

"You'll be part-time until the restaurant is fully operational. You will show your successor the lay of the kitchen, bring up to speed on how to assist Mr. Jones and ease the team into the new transition. Teach him the recipes for our best pastries and protocol for creating the seasonal menu. I assure you Emma, you won't be for want of work."

Emma scrubbed her face with her hands, the documents sitting in her lap. She wanted this. She wanted to run her own kitchen, create and be her own boss but she couldn't see herself working so closely with the woman who made her blood run cold. She could feel two sets of eyes boring holes into her as she sat still, trying to calm her racing heart. "Who's my _successor,"_ she asked, hoping the question sounded less bitter than it tasted.

"Neal Cassidy."

"That jackass from Brooklyn Cheesecake Factory?!"

"I assure you that _jackass_ is quite skilled in his trade. You may learn a thing or two from him." Rupert replied smugly.

Emma shook her head and let out a gust of air as she stared at a dark stain on Gold's wooden desk. "When does he start?"

"Monday."

_Good. I have the weekend to drink myself into a downward spiral. Maybe a night with Killian won't be such a bad idea._ She thought bitterly, her right leg bobbing with anxiety. "Alright."

"Regina, I assume that the staff at the other locations are prepared for your pulling back in duties for this operation?"

"I've got Katherine on standby."

"Oh wait, she doesn't get a replacement. I mean, successor?"

"Regina's skillset allows her to train people as she goes, she chooses who will work in her stead. Trust me Emma, you'll learn a great deal from her."

"I'm pretty sure I can show you a few things too." Emma swallowed hard. Killian was right. Ruby was right. She was coming in and hostile taking over every facet of Emma's life. She wanted to crush her in every way possible. She turned towards Regina, holding the woman's gaze intently.

"Excellent. I'll have Mr. Glass over to oversee the signing of everything and I look forward to our success." Rupert beamed, extending his hand to both Emma and Regina.

Emma followed as Regina lead the way down the hallway back into the service area, feeling as though plumes of cartoon steam was pouring from her ears. The woman sauntered along in black pumps, head bowed as she checked her phone, fully aware that Emma was close behind her.

"Can we talk?" Emma grumbled as they both exited the service area and walked briskly through the restaurant, patrons seated at odd tables. The lunch crowd was dwindling into the pre-dinner group and Emma new it was a matter of time before she would be blowtorching crème brule until she wanted to seer off her own eyebrows.

"Certainly." Regina replied, exiting the restaurant and pocketing her phone.

"Look. I…"

"If you're going to apologize now for being as rude as you've been so far, save it. I'm in no mood."

Emma's jaw dropped. "I was going to ask you if you still made those apple turnovers."

Regina's lip quirked. "Why?"

"I was thinking that maybe, y'know, as part of what Gold was talking about, you'd show me how you make yours."

That smile returned. It crept across her features slowly, brightening her deep brown eyes in a way that if directed properly, would reduce mere mortals to piles of goo. In Emma's case, it made her nervous and sprint in the opposite direction. "Oh Emma. You couldn't stand the heat in my kitchen." She slipped on her shades. "Call the Nolan's, tell them we'll meet them in the Bowery to discuss logistics."

"I'm not your secretary."

"No, you're not but you _are_ under my stead. I'm available after five tomorrow." She turned and sauntered off towards her car, fully aware that Emma was watching her, cartoon steam pouring from her ears.


	5. All In

Thank you everyone for reading this, the really nice feedback and sharing. This started at some weird Christmas project to keep me busy and it's kind of taken on a life of it's own. So. Thanks for that. There will be a little of a character exploration and if you'd like, some side stories and a recipe ( /2013/02/fresh-berries-with-mascarpone-cream/) SEE! Research is paying off now!

"Hey! We were starting to think you'd changed your mind." David greeted as he leaned against a worktable. He was on another worksite, overseeing the final touches on a project in upstate New York. "I found a great wood reclamation site that can get us some of those wooden tables we were talking about. How are things?"

Emma couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips. She plopped into a nearby seat in the employee area, propping her feet up and letting her head lull back to stare at the ceiling. "Still alive and kicking. Are you guys free for a meeting tomorrow after five?"

"Tomorrow, tomorrow…"

"Please don't start singing selections from _Annie…"_

"I can do a lot of things, carry a tune isn't one of them." He turned and checked the calendar he had taped to the inside of his clipboard. "Yeah, we're good for tomorrow. I can have Mary Margaret bring some of the samples and sketches we did."

"Yeah, that'd be great. I've got to bring them over to Mr. Gold for final approvals."

"I thought you were the one running the show." David replied, concern creeping into his tone.

"So did I, that's Regina's gig. So I'm doing the secretary work."

"Don't think of it like that. You're doing the real work when you think about it. I wouldn't trust anyone else to run my sites better than Mary Margaret and that's because she learned everything from me. You've got to know how everything works before you jump into things sometimes."

"You're pretty smart for a construction worker."

"Ah ha. Ha. Where are we meeting? I haven't gotten the inspection and construction permits just yet, so hopefully Miss Mills won't jump on my back about that. My guy is taking his time filing."

"If she's going to be a pain in the ass, it'll be my problem. Bowery Café. You know it?"

"Is it a cafe in the Bowery? Course I know it. I'll see you guys when? 6?"

"Sure. 6 it is. I'll text you the address just to be safe."

"See, there you go, learning already."

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The Hamptons, 2011

_Emma double-checked the address as she pulled the catering truck onto the private driveway, her jaw hanging open at the sight of the sprawling mansion. She leaned forward, arm resting on the steering wheel, peering up though the windshield. This was probably the biggest house yet and the summer was starting. She followed the winding driveway as it wrapped around towards the rear of the house where an outdoor tent was already set up. She pulled in and shut off the engine, reaching to the passenger side to pull on her white jacket._

_ A woman in a black chef's jacket approached, clipboard in hand, a grimace etched into her features. "Are you E. Swan?" she asked, peering up into the driver's side. She pushed her short hair back behind her ear, pen poised over the name on her list._

_ "Emma. Yeah." she said with an apologetic smile. "Could you back up just a bit, don't want to hit you with the door." _

_ The woman took a step back and watched as Emma jumped out of the truck and pulled her jacket over her white tanktop, not even bothering to button it up. The woman mentally tsk tsked as Emma leaned against the driver side door. "You are the pâstissier, yes?"_

_ "Yeah. Uh. Yes." Emma suddenly felt like an idiot in this woman's presence. She was in all black, the top most button opened slightly to allow some air in as she scribbled away on the clipboard. "That's me, last minute fill in. Sorry."_

_ "Oh, no apologies, I'm glad that we could find someone so last minute it's just…"_

_"Not what you were expecting?" Emma couldn't help but grin. "I get that a lot." She pulled her hair up into a top bun, watching the woman as she watched her. "Everyone thinks the baker should be old, fat or old and fat."_

_The woman nodded absently. "I'm Regina Mills. I'm running this event today. She stuck out her hand, gripping it and giving a formal handshake. "I'll show you to your station and have you start your paperwork during staff meal." She was not surprised to find that Emma had soft hands despite her trucker persona. "If you'll follow me." She turned and made her way towards the rear of the house going past the tent where meals were already being prepared and outdoor tables prepped. "Have you ever been involved in something like this before?"_

_"You mean a rich kid party? Yeah. Been spending the summer in the Hamptons for awhile now."_

_"Oh, you summer here?"_

_"No, I work here." _

_Regina's face fell. "Oh…"_

_"I know what you thought." Emma replied. _

_"Emma. Just so we're clear," Regina turned, backing Emma into an alcove. "These people are clients and we have to treat them with respect…"_

_"Do you give them the same speech?" _

_"Are we going to have a problem here?" she stepped closer, low waves of power emanating from her small frame. _

_Emma's hands immediately shot up in supplication. "No, no problems. Sorry. My mouth does the thinking for me sometimes."_

_Regina's eyes narrowed, the clipboard clutched to her chest as she studied the taller woman. "This is an important event, not just for the myself and the company at large but for the staff. Success tonight could very well mean that we stay gainfully employed and continue on whatever career paths we choose. There will be very influential people here and I will not have anyone on my staff recklessly running their mouths when they are in my kitchen." She stepped closer, her arms folded over the clipboard, deep brown eyes locked on deep blue ones. "Now, can I trust you to keep your mouth in check?"_

_Emma nodded._

_"Good."_

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The kitchen was a blur. Emma had to whip together something special for a client Gold was entertaining and she had to send Ruby out to make sure that it wasn't a former employer, foster parent or someone she owed money to. She couldn't take another blow to her small ego. She came back, dutifully reported it wasn't anyone she needed to be afraid of and picked up another loaded tray to deliver.

She made a note to ask Ruby how the rest of the afternoon went. She set to work pulling together fresh cream, mascarpone, powdered sugar and grabbed some fruits. She hip checked the fridge holding a small solid bar of milk chocolate. Starting up the mixing bowl, she dumped in everything, watching the mixture blend before tasting with her spoon. Killian's head popped up between the racks, a small hand towel slung over his right shoulder.

"Another Hail Mary play, Swan?" he asked, snagging a berry from the bowl on the prep station.

"Hail Mary Pass, Killian, and no it isn't. Special request from whoever's dining with Gold this evening." Emma replied as she added vanilla to the mixture, watching it thicken. She turned to the chocolate bar, cubing it before tossing it into a small saucepan melting that as she began spooning in the heavy creame and berries into goblets.

"I'll never get you Americans and your slang." He shrugged, leaning forward on his palms to watch Emma as she worked. "Do you know who it is?"

"Nobody to fear, Killian." Emma teased, taking the chocolate and drizzling it on the small serving plate, a dusting of powdered sugar added for effect. "Had Ruby do some recon for me."

"Ah." He nodded, reaching across for another berry, dipping it into the melted chocolate and holding it suggestively to his lips. "So you do know fear."

"Never said I didn't." Emma replied, plating the goblets, adding a sprig of mint each and ringing the bell for Ruby. "And try not to eat all my seasonals, you never order enough for me."

"Maybe I'm looking for reasons to talk to you." He replied with a smirk, taking another berry and popping it into his mouth. "Did you meet with her?"

"Regina? Yeah."

Killian's eyes bugged with shock. "What? What'd she want?"

Emma watched as Ruby returned and picked up her tray, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Nothing you should worry about, but thanks for the concern."

"Swan, c'mon."

Emma braced her palms on the countertop, her head low as she weighed the pros and cons of telling Killian anything. "What, you worried you're gonna lose me?"

"I already did love. I just, I don't want anything to cause you unrest."

Emma was blown away. "That was the most mature thing you've said."

"Still full of surprises." He winked, popping another berry into his mouth. "If you've got any of that left, how about you hold one for me?"

Emma smiled. "Sure thing."

Ruby returned with the empty service tray and winked as Killian walked by. "So." She said, leaning on her elbows and eyeing the concoction in front of her. "What was _that_ about?"

"That wasn't what you think it was. It was me sucking up." Emma replied, quickly putting together the rest of the ingredients into a small plastic cup. "How'd they like the desert?"

"I dunno, barely said two words to me. I guess they like it. Guys are weird."

"I'm sure you'll get used to it." Emma replied, opening the fridge and checking the cheesecakes, pudding and ice cream stores. "How was last night? Or should I ask about this morning?"

Ruby blushed, covering her face with her hands. "Tonight, I'll tell you when you get out. We need to catch up." She winked before going to check on her other tables. "Hey, make one of those for me too, will ya?"

The Hamptons 2011

_Emma unloaded the truck quickly, careful to not dirty her jacket as she pushed the small trolley laden with kitchenware into the kitchen proper. She avoided Regina's curious gaze as she set up, making sure that Eddie was properly preparing the fresh fruit salad that was to be the centerpiece to each table._

_She couldn't help wanting to tease the visibly uptight woman as she worked diligently in the opposite corner from where she was working laying out tools and a blowtorch. "So, do you have smile muscles or no?" she asked, crossing around the elegant marble topped island and tentatively approaching Regina, holding out a small bowl of assorted berries. _

_Regina looked up, obvious concern etched into her face. "What was that?" her expression softened at the sight of the peace offering. "Oh. Well, yes. I do."_

_"Just not for the staff." Emma mused, placing the bowl just within Regina's reach. _

_"Not the staff that things immediately disparaging the people signing the checks is the way to start a working relationship." Regina replied pointedly, popping a particularly tart raspberry into her mouth. _

_"Well. Let me apologize for that atleast."_

_"Accepted." Regina replied, watching the blush creep across Emma's face. "Try to not burn down the house."_

_"I'm dealing with simple deserts this evening. Fresh berries and cream, minimum fire required." Emma replied with a smirk. "The house is safe."_

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It had been a mercifully quiet night for Emma, asides from the miracle crème berry surprise she'd pulled together. She helped clean and sanitize the kitchen, grateful for the mind numbingly mundane task. Tossing the last rag into the trash, she unbuttoned her jacket and headed into the staff room, glad to have the rest of the night to agonize over the conversations she'd had in the last few hours.

Ruby was posted up in the employee area, counting her tips and dreaming of whatever fantasy date she had in store for Ruby. She slipped her Crocs off and wriggled her toes sighing as she sagged into the hard plastic chair, pulling her hair out of the bun and letting it curtain down around her shoulders.

The day had been longer than she had anticipated, between the meeting with Regina and Gold and the demand to make something that wasn't on the menu, she wasn't sure she would be able to keep up with everything that this new restaurant could potentially demand of her. She worried that Regina might be taking notes and keeping tabs on her performance. There was simply too much going on and it was all happening so fast. She scrubbed at her face with her hands and exhaled slowly.

"Swan?" Killian asked, a plastic spoon in the cup she'd left for him in the fridge.

"Hey…"

Ruby raised her eyebrows in merriment, stashing her tips in a small purse. "I'm gonna change. See you in a bit?"

"Yeah…" Emma replied, watching Ruby grab her bag and head into the bathroom. She turned towards Killian and smiled. "I take it you approve?"

" "Oh yeah." He smiled and plopped into the chair nearest Emma, spooning another mouthful. "Thanks for holding one for me."

"Don't be so flattered, held one for Ruby too."

He made a face as though he'd been poisoned. "Oh and here I was thinking you cared about me."

Emma smirked and stood up, rubbing her palms on her thighs. "I won't give you the satisfaction."

"Won't you though…?" Killian replied wistfully as Ruby reemerged from the bathroom, clad in sweats. He smirked. "Perhaps someone else has swayed your mind?"

Emma glanced at Ruby, rolling her eyes. "No, just tired." She turned to face him, a smirk on her face. "Besides, we're long past the time your charms worked on me, Mr. Jones."

"Pity." Killian smirked and stood, watching as Emma pulled her leather jacket on. "I could always accompany you ladies…"

"Out? Yes, that'd be nice of you."

Killian smirked, tossing the cup and spoon into the trash nearby. "Chivalry is not dead m'lady." He made a show of bowing and extended his left arm out towards the door.

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"So. What happened today?" Ruby asked as she dunked the teabag into the steaming mug. "And don't tell me nothing. I know something amazing happened for you."

"I'm co-owner in a restaurant with Regina Mills and I have no idea how I'm going to make that work."

Ruby stopped what she was doing and turned to face Emma as she sat on the windowsill, her fingers worrying the edges of her t-shirt. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"That's amazing."

Emma looked across the dimly lit kitchen to her roommate, the textbook definition of confusion. "Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, this is everything you've ever worked towards. I mean, yeah, Regina is kind of a pill but…Emma, this is going to be huge!"

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Emma blushed and took the extended mug. "So. About your date."

"Ok, so we started out a that little restaurant you told me about, the little French bistro over on Second Avenue." Ruby began, glad for the change in subject. She tucked her legs underneath her, cupping her mug and blowing into the liquid in an effort to cool it. She was practically glowing as she recounted the night's events. "We sat there for a while, just talking. She's a total textbook nerd it's seriously amazing. She knows all these weird little facts and mastered the Dewey Decimal System when she was like, ten. So we went from there and started walking over to the East Village, just _talking._ She was tired so I offered a nightcap here. We watched a few movies and since it was late I just let her crash."

"Let her crash…"

"We didn't do anything." Ruby blushed. "She's an amazing kisser though."

"Wonder if she learned that from a book."

"Don't be a jerk."

"I'm happy for you. Seriously. You were a total gentlewoman."

"I am a total gentlewoman." She took a tentative sip of her tea, eyeing Emma over the mug's lip. "You and Killian were chatty…"

Emma rolled her eyes and leaned back into the battered overstuffed armchair they had inherited from Ruby's grandmother. "He thinks his job is in danger with Regina coasting around. I haven't told him anything."

"Really? I'm impressed."

Emma shrugged. "Honestly? He and I can't be a thing again. It was one of those…I don't know. He's just a guy I work with now."

"You're going to pickle in that single girl jar Emma. I can't let that happen." Ruby warned, wagging a finger at Emma.

"Not all of us can be so lucky as to have the person of our dreams drop an out of print hardcover book on our heads."

Ruby flashed Emma her middle finger. "I'm picking her up after work tomorrow. I took the mid-shift so _I_ have to get my beauty sleep. Try not to marathon another show in one night okay?"

"You're not the boss of me."

"You're right. That's Regina. Niiiiiiiiiiiiiight!"

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She wasn't jealous, she was glad that Ruby found someone that made her happy. Emma just didn't have that kind of luxury or luck. She had the kind of luck that was made up of strange incidents, happenstance and dumb luck. She wasn't going to chase love anymore. It wasn't as though she had a hard time finding dates or interested parties, she just had serious issues with trust and boundaries and when she gave any of that kind of power to anyone, it was a risk. It had blown up in her face with Killian. Big time. She didn't want to do that ever again. She didn't mind working and improving her craft and who knew, maybe her dumb luck would bring her someone extraordinary without even trying.

She took a deep breath and stared at the paperwork on her lap, the words jumbling together in a smear of run on sentences. She made small notes and wrote down her questions on a separate sheet of paper. She wanted to be as prepared as possible when she met with Mr. Gold, Regina and the formidable sounding Mr. Glass tomorrow afternoon with the Nolans. She needed to know that she would be protected in some way and supported in another, whatever form that chose to present itself. She made sure she made a note on her phone to call Regina at a decent hour to confirm 6pm.

She sat back in bed, reading through everything Google provided for her on top of the legal document in front of her. It was a risk, she knew it from the moment Gold presented it to her but she couldn't walk away. It was the kind of risk she felt she was bred for; dangerous and fulfilling. Sighing, she closed her laptop and fell into a fitful sleep, her dreams filled with papers, deserts and some bitch in heels.

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Emma stared at her phone as though it would grow limbs and crawl out of her bedroom. She had Regina's name and number stored as Hell in Heels and as much as it made her laugh, she couldn't bring herself to dial it. It was 8:30 in the morning and after a fitful night's sleep she had to call Regina and set up their meeting.

Swallowing hard, she pressed talk and held the phone to her ear, eyes shut as she waited.

"Ms. Swan, I didn't take you for a morning person." Regina responded by way of greeting.

"I'm not but I figured you were. I got in contact with David, er, Mr. Nolan and he'll meet us a Bowery Café today at 6."

"Is it Friday already?"

"Time flies." Emma replied, rolling her eyes. "I can text you address to the café if you'd like."

"Despite thinking you're my _secretary_ Ms. Swan, I am capable of using Google. I'll get the address and see you today. Oh and Mr. Glass will be joining, perhaps you should wear something that isn't a tank top and leather jacket?"

Emma sniffed. "I can't make any promises."


	6. Keep The Enemy Close

Thanks for reading this and putting up with a gap between chapters.

Chapter 6666666

Every morning was filled with dread while preparing breakfast and lunch for Henry. Regina always worried he would ask her to stop walking him to school. He was growing up so fast; she didn't have to duck down to kiss his forehead. Sighing she finished her pancakes, shut off the range and pulled down two boxes of cereal. She set up his bowl and went to the fridge to pull out the milk. Henry lumbered into the kitchen, still groggy with sleep as he poured out a bowl cereal and milk for himself. She watched as he read the side of the box with mild interest, chewing like a cow with cud before catching his gaze.

"I'm off today. Want me to pick you up? I can take you to Xavier's if you'd like." She still didn't like the idea of him being on the train alone but allowed him the smaller trips from school home or to a friend's house where she would collect him later on in the evening. She had grown up chauffeured everywhere by her overprotective mother and it wasn't until she'd left for college that she'd ever been alone in any real capacity. That had been an experience.

He shrugged. "I've got practice today, last one until the summer session." He replied.

"Oh." Regina cut into her pancake. "You didn't tell me that."

"It's an open practice…" he replied, his cheeks pinking as he shoveled more cereal into his mouth, milk dribbling down his chin, avoiding his mother's gaze. "I didn't know if you'd want to come."

Regina's shoulders sagged. "Why wouldn't I want to see you practice?"

"I'm not very good…Coach says I have promise though."

"Well, it's practice Henry, it takes time." Her eyes softened. "Is that why you didn't say anything?"

"Well…yeah…"

"If that is your invitation, Mr. Mills, I'll be there."

Henry blushed, pouring out more cereal and drowning the flakes in milk. "Okay."

Regina watched Henry from across the street, her arms wrapped around herself as he entered the building. She always held her breath, secretly hoping he'd discreetly turn and wave at her from the doorway as he had when his freshman year started but he didn't turn and she was learning to accept that. She was glad she could dress down today, wearing flats, jeans and a soft gray t-shirt as opposed to her usual heels and skirt look. She turned back up the street and began the walk back to her apartment.

Emma's early morning call had surprised her. Her voice was gravely, as though she had either just woken up or had been screaming the lyrics to some band at a concert the night before. The fact that after hanging up, her phone vibrated in her palm with the address and directions brought a smirk to her face. It was starting to become difficult to dislike Emma Swan.

Even though it was her day off and most people would relax and rest, Regina was back on the phone checking in with Katherine on the restaurants. So far, nothing of terrible detriment happened, one had been the site of an interview with Anthony Bourdain, which Katherine described as "The single greatest moment of her entire year." while another was currently experiencing an uptick in reservations for the college graduation season.

"Is your meeting today?" Katherine asked, hoping she wasn't overstepping her boundaries with Regina. They'd known each other for years, Katherine having been the one to introduce her to the joys of taking public transportation her freshman year of college. Wherever Regina went, Kat was always sure to follow and whether either woman wanted to admit it or not, there was a sense of jealousy that tinged the air whenever conversation turned to _the project._ "I know Rupert was bustling around with Sidney Glass today."

"Yes it is."

"How are you feeling?"

"It's just another meeting."

"Just another meeting." Katherine mimicked with a smirk. "It's the meeting where you are basically handed the keys to the kingdom as it were."

"It isn't unlike all the other businesses I've run, _Katherine_." Regina replied curtly. "It's not as though I've never done this before."

"Well. To be fair, _Regina,_ you've picked up businesses that have been running for awhile, this is a completely different undertaking. You're responsible for it's entire success. Soup to nuts _and_ bolts."

"Still not seeing the difference dear."

"You can be such a bitch sometimes." Katherine jibbed.

"I've heard that before."

"Is Emma still involved?"

"Yes. She is."

"I want details you know."

"When there's something to tell, you'll have them."

"Fair enough. Well, as much as I love you interrupting my beauty sleep, I have to head out for a run but I want a play by play."

"I don't want to read about my restaurants going up in flames, Katherine."

"BYYYEEEEEE" Katherine replied in a singsongy voice before hanging up.

Regina let herself into her apartment, tossing the keys into the bowl nearby and sighing. She set about cleaning up the place for a bit before settling into her office to do some light work. She was finishing her notes in her Moleskine, sticking a small Post-It in the book where she'd listed menu options and preparing for the evening. She made a note to pack a blazer to be safe.

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Emma stared at her closet, fingers laced behind her head in frustration as she debated the merits of raiding Ruby's closet for an outfit, seeing as hers was in dire need of an upgrade. She had spent a portion of the morning wrapped in her sheets after having spoken to Regina, staring off at the ceiling. Sighing she crawled out of bed and was now standing in a pair of shorts and a long sleeved shirt, staring at the closet in disgust. She shoved through the small closet, pushing back jeans, sweatpants and various bits and pieces of clothes in an effort to not wear a tanktop under her leather jacket as usual. She hated shopping but was a tried and true fashion horse. Her time spent in the kitchen had somewhat robbed her of her fashion sense and with all the encounters with Regina, she'd become increasingly self-conscious of her fashion choices. Regina always looked so well put together while she was lucky if she found jeans that didn't have tell tale signs of having been slept in. She reached the back and let out a sigh. She imagined Regina strutting into an immaculately maintained closet, picking up a variation of the same outfit from the rack and a team of peasants surrounding her to dress her. She let out a chuckle, shaking her head at the image. She pulled out a soft grey sweater a pair of skinny black jeans and tossed them onto the bed. She opened her drawer and pulled out a fresh tanktop and socks.

She wasn't technically breaking Regina's rule.

Technically.

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She watched him, tall and still growing, his posture improving by leaps and bounds as he practiced with a classmate. He was balanced, composed and confident as he earned another point and saluted. He was beaming with pride as he slapped five with his teammates and shook hands with his coach. Regina ducked her head and wiped at the corners of her eyes it was all Regina could do to keep composure as Henry jogged over, his foil propped on his shoulder, his mask tucked under his arm.

"Hi mom" he greeted.

"Looked good out there." She replied, carefully making her way down the benches towards him. "I tried to keep out of your line of sight…"

"I knew you were there." He smiled and put his gear down as Regina approached to pull him into a fierce hug. "I'm so proud of you."

"It's nothing." Henry replied his voice muffled into her shoulder. "It's not even competition time…"

"It will be and I'll still be proud of you." She replied, fixing his mussed up hair. "Are you too grown up for ice cream?"

"Seriously? No one is too grown up for ice cream." He picked up his gear and unzipped his fencing jacket. "I'm gonna get changed!" he trotted off towards the back of the gym to the boys room.

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After ice cream and a promise that all his weekend homework would be completely done by Sunday night, Regina dropped Henry off with his best friend Xavier. She spoke with his mother for a moment, a brief moment of jealousy creeping across her heart at the sight of Xavier and Henry racing upstairs to Xavier's room while Sarah, his mother, stood in the hallway, in her homemaker best. They'd known each other for as long as the boys had and Regina had always harbored a small bit of jealousy that Sarah quit her position with a major company so that she could stay home and raise Xavier and Nicole. She was fielding offers left and right now that she was considering jumping back into the workforce. They chatted briefly before Regina excused herself to make her meeting with Rupert and the _team._

She was grateful to the support system she'd built to keep their sanity, especially when it came to her often times overloaded work schedule. With this new project looming and her needing to work over the summer, she debated sending Henry away to camp or keeping him with her for part of the season. She dreaded the idea of his growing up without her but she didn't want the same strained relationship that had developed between her and her mother, Cora. As she squeezed into the packed subway car, she wish she had driven downtown instead of taking the subway because she wouldn't have to overthink everything the way she was now.

The ride was mercifully short

Sighing, she rounded the corner and found Emma leaning up against the side of the building, her right leg propped up against the brick façade, hands jammed in her pockets as she stared off across the street. Even though that red leather jacket was still present,

Regina was grateful she'd taken her advice. Squaring her shoulders she made her way up the middle of the street, determined to make this work.

"Miss Swan, you're here rather early." Regina said by way of greeting.

Emma made a show of looking at her watch. "Don't sound so surprised. You know, early birds, worms and all that. Besides, the place gets packed pretty quickly." She smirked. "Pleasure to see you again Regina." She looked behind her theatrically, already knowing the answer. "You didn't drive?"

"No. Shall we find seats inside?"

Emma chuckled. "After you, your majesty."

They were seated in the rear of the café in a decent sized booth. Emma sat across from Regina, her back to the door so that Regina could face out and watch for the rest of their party. Emma read through the menu, deciding that if tonight was going to be an uncomfortable evening, she would have to loosen up with something strong. Music played softly from hidden speakers all around them, classic hits mixed with electronic instrumentals. Regina looked around the space, noting the exposed beams and Christmas lights that wound around them, sconces and hidden lighting providing a somewhat romantic mood despite the mixed crowd. She appreciated the open air of the space, noticing that the kitchen was somewhat visible from the eating area, a feature she enjoyed when she decided to go out for dinner.

"Want a drink?" Emma asked, waiving the menu with drink specials under Regina's nose.

"Ms. Swan, I don't think alcohol is the way to start off a business meeting. " Regina replied curtly as she looked through the entrees on the other side of the menu. She was already making small notes in her book.

Emma made a face as she folded her hands on the tabletop. "Look around you. It's 5:20 on a Friday afternoon. Everyone is talking business with a little buzz. Besides, you didn't drive."

Regina looked up at Emma, lips pursed in thought before glancing around the busy café. "Fine. One." She watched as Emma waived over their server and ordered two Jack and Gingers.

"Whiskey!?" Regina hissed. "Emma!"

"I noticed you only call me _Ms. Swan_ when you're feeling condescending. I'm Emma when you're mad at me." Emma replied with a grin. "Tell me I'm wrong."

Regina shook her head in disbelief. "You're wrong." she replied avoiding Emma's eyes and reaching for the glass of water closest to her.

Emma narrowed her eyes as she leaned forward on her elbows, bringing her head down to catch Regina's sightline and holding it intently. The look worked in for her favor as she enjoyed the wave of discomfort that washed over Regina, watching her features shift slightly. "I have a superpower." she said confidently.

"I knew it. I knew you weren't mature enough to …"

"Listen."

Regina let out a huff, leaning back into the bench, folding her arms across her chest with agitation. "I'm listening."

"I have a superpower where I can tell if people are lying." Emma continued confidently. "I'm starting to get a good bead on you."

Regina's eyes narrowed with suspicion as the drinks arrived to the table. "I'm certain it's some charlatan trick you picked up in your travels."

"Alright, suit yourself. You'll see." She took her glass, the ice tinkling around in the amber liquid and held it out to Regina for a toast. "Come what may."

Regina took her glass, stirred the contents with her straw and clinked her drink against Emma's. They held eye contact, Regina defiant while Emma's eyes sparkled with mirth. "Come what may." She took a slow sip, the alcohol immediately dancing across her tongue, pinking her cheeks and tingling as it went down. "We'll need to order something…"

"You're not a wings girl, that's for sure." said Emma.

"You don't know anything about me."

"I don't know _much_ about you but I know the stuff the restaurant guides say, whatever pops up on Google and what I remember about that summer." Regina looked up at the mention of the summer, eyes filled with suspicion. "You're still a mystery." Emma continued as she took a slow sip from her drink. "I'm a little jealous of that actually."

Regina glanced at her watch, slightly disappointed that five whole minutes had passed and no one had arrived yet. Didn't people believe in punctuality? "Don't be."

"See, I know you're not lying about that."

Regina rolled her eyes. "You're doing too much." She took another sip of her drink, the alcohol warming her to her toes as she watched Emma confidently place the order with their server.

"We're getting the fried bow tie pasta with spinach and artichoke dip."

"The what? Where do you even see that?" Regina scanned the appetizers in the dim light as the server left the table. "It's not on there. How can you order it?"

"Regina." Emma teased, "it's called a lifehack menu. Some places have things that aren't on _the menu_ and you can order whatever you like. If it's something they serve in a variation, you can order it, even if it's not on the menu in front of you. You can write this in your notebook, a good restaurant is always prepared and stocked."

"How do you know this is one of the places?" Regina asked in awe.

"I used to work here." Emma replied with a simple shrug.

"Here?" she took a sip from her drink, enjoying the way it warmed her. "Is that why you chose it?"

"Yep. Before I baked cookies and made fancy desserts for people, I used to short order cook around the city. I learned _how_ to cook in diner kitchens, really. Before that, I pretty much burned everything from water to toast. Worked a food truck for a little bit too. That was a nightmare."

Regina regarded Emma for a moment. It had never dawned on her that Emma had a life before all of this. "A food truck? What kind?"

"Mobile dessert truck. Started out as a delivery truck, small catering events, kids parties. When we had extra stuff in the truck, we'd just, start selling it. Split the profit afterwards." She shrugged. "It was fun. What about you?"

"Well, I never worked in a food truck…"

"I figured as much." Emma replied with a sly nod. "But there has to be a little bit more."

"You read my information…" Regina shrugged. "There's not much to tell really. I've always loved to make things. I enjoy the process."

In the dim lighting, Emma found herself taking in Regina's features, noting some of the smaller details in the woman who'd made her so nervous for so long sitting across from her, having a drink and casually talking about their lives. She noticed a small scar above her lip, the way she was careful and controlled with her answers but still open and honest, all of her power play somehow gone. She seemed smaller somehow, more human. "The process? Sounds clinical."

"Well, techniques are one thing, having the actual talent another. You can be incredibly passionate about something but still be absolutely terrible at it." Regina shrugged, her eyes staring at the glass of liquid courage currently pinking her cheeks and loosening her tongue. She wanted to slow down, to shut up even but she couldn't help sharing something with Emma. If they were going to be stuck together, she was going to have to learn how to open up and if she was going to be honest with herself, there was something disarming about Emma. Besides, she wanted to test that superpower of hers. "I suppose you have to _want_ it enough to understand why it works so that you can understand why you love it so much but make no mistake, there is a process to things work in your favor."

"I dunno. You can learn a process, master it and know yourself but it has to come from somewhere deeper. I think _you_ understand yourself pretty well. You could've done a million different things, gone a million places…"

"What makes you think I didn't?" Regina countered, taking a sip of her drink, a challenging look in her eye. "I could've gone around the world dozens of times while you were…" she felt as though she was fighting through whatever effect the liquor was having on her. She felt as though she had managed to back whatever smart comment Emma had for her into a corner, far away from her.

"Learning how to not burn water in a diner somewhere? Fair enough." Emma replied, a chill passing down her spine. She had no idea what that look _was_ but it thrilled her. She held Regina's steely gaze with her own, the corners of her mouth quirking into a smirk. "How are you liking the drink?"

"Just fine." She took another sip for emphasis and smiled. "So you were always passionate about food?"

"I'm passionate about a lot of things, not _just_ food." Emma chuckled, pressing the glass between her palms and rolling it. "I appreciate what goes into making a meal. The process, if you like. Small meals for instance are nice, like sandwiches for instance. They're simple enough that anyone can make them but some people have made them art. They have artisan bread and specialty meat or something silly like, secret sauces. They're like having a tiny universe in your hand."

"A tiny universe? Really." Regina replied sardonically, completely engaged with this conversation.

"You can tell a lot about a person based on their sandwich preferences. Some people like chips with their sandwich, or just the works or really simple like meat and bread." She smiled wistfully. "Things like Thanksgiving, Christmas…families all piled together in their houses, sharing recipes and stories. They bond and create memories." She gave another lopsided shrug. "I always liked the idea of that." Emma cocked her head to the right, eyes narrowed in thought. "You're still a mystery so I can't figure out your sandwich tastes but I will say, you are probably very neat and try to avoid adding too much to a sandwich."

"You really believe that?" Regina asked, stirring her drink with the straw, watching Emma with interest. "What does it matter what I like and don't like?"

Much to Regina's dismay, Emma shrugged again. She was grateful for the break as their appetizer arrived. Regina attacked it with fervor while Emma watched, an amused smile on her face. "This is delicious."

"Very few can say no to the power of fried anything." Emma replied with a wink as she helped herself to a fried bow tie, dipping it and popping it into her mouth. "It's not a perfect science but, I'll prove it to you sometime. We're stuck together, whether you like it or not, so we might as well get to know the little things."

"I like Sloppy Joes." Regina offered, dumping the spinach and artichoke onto a small plate and dunking her pasta in with relish.

"Sloppy Joes? Really?" Emma replied, leaning on the tabletop, drink held in her hands, the droplets slicking her fingertips. She'd had enough of the snack in front of her to know that it was delicious but watching the refined Regina Mills digging in with pleasure was a new level of joy. She helped herself to more of the snack watching as Regina.

Regina nodded, the smile that always struck Emma as cold and distant on her face. Looking at it now, in the warm candlelight under dim lighting it was warm, welcoming, pleasant. She wasn't sure if it was the whiskey warming her belly of that smile that reached her eyes. It reminded her of when they first met. "That's surprising."

"Why? Think I don't like to get dirty?"

Emma blushed. "Dirty has nothing to do with it. I didn't take you for a Sloppy Joes eater."

"I assume there will be many things that will surprise you about me." Regina replied, watching Emma take another thoughtful sip of her drink. "Why do you want my turnover reciepe?"

The left side of Emma's mouth pulled into a smirk as she leaned back in her seat, her hands still braced on the table, fingertips tapping on the polished wood. "Honestly? It knocked me on my ass when I had it. I've never been able to figure out what you put in it."

Regina's smile returned, warm and somewhat dangerous as she continued stirring the straw in her drink. Emma found herself captivated by it, the way the mirth traveled from those full lips to her chocolate brown eyes. She squared her shoulders in her seat, eyeing Regina as she weighed her next words. "I just figured with this new thing we're doing, you'd be obliged to share."

"Obliged? You and I are tied together because of this project but make no mistakes, Ms. Swan, you'd have to earn it."

Emma felt a chill run down her spine as she watched Regina fish out a piece of ice, shaking it into her mouth, crushing the cube in her perfect teeth. "Not a lie." Emma mumbled to herself, taking another swig of her drink. What was she thinking, asking about that damned recipe in this type of situation? She eyed the drink in front of her. Maybe it was stronger than she thought it was.

"You and I are tied to this because Rupert sees something worthwhile in the both of us, correct?"

Emma nodded, suddenly a little shaken by the way Regina's tone went from playful to cold. "Guess he figures we can learn something from each other."

Regina nodded. She wanted to be cold and calculating. She wanted to back Emma into a corner and keep her there, far out of her way while she took over the project, forced Emma into the lane she was used to while Regina commanded total control. She wanted to dominate the entire thing but in the span of twenty minutes, she'd come to see her nemesis in a different light; she was thoughtful, worldly, even if though that view seemed somewhat limited, kind and simple. She enjoyed everything that came with making a good meal; something that suddenly found she was missing in her own experience as of late. She mentally wrestled with whether she wanted to cut Emma down or accept her as an equal and as the appetizer appeared between them, the warmth of the dip drifting up her nostrils, she realized that Emma was less and less of a threat and more of an equal who had come at her from a completely different playing field. She watched the way Emma seemed to fidget and avoid her gaze but still remained somewhat defiant. It pleased her to know she still couldn't quite break this woman. She was still just as irritatingly stubborn as when they met.

"I plan to teach you many things, Ms. Swan provided you intend to learn."

"What if I want to show you a thing or two?" Emma countered, feeling bolder despite the chill in the air. "Maybe we can work on that together."

"Then I suppose we're both in for an education this summer." Regina replied, with a nod, a defiant look in her eyes.

Emma licked her lips, the action drawing Regina's eyes from hers to her lips and back again. Stupid whiskey. "Sounds like a plan. I'll bring a notebook."

Regina nodded, taking another confident sip of her drink, almost saddened that it was nearly finished. "You learned how to cook in diners? Didn't your mother teach you?"

Emma shook her head. "No." she looked down at her own drink, stirring the contents and avoiding Regina's gaze, all bravado drained from her face. _So much for bonding._ Emma thought as she busied herself with her drink.

Regina noticed the abrupt change in attitude, the subtle shift in her posture and the way she quickly finished off her drink but before she could ask, Regina's eyes landed on the door and spotted Sidney, Rupert, David and Mary Margaret piling in. Regina felt guilty for asking the question and felt the words of apology bubbling on her lips but blurted out instead. "They're here." she said suddenly all business.

Emma turned in her seat and waved as the group made their way towards the back of the restaurant. After introductions and handshakes were made, everyone took their seats and immediately set to ordering drinks. Emma smirked at Regina, mouthing _I told you so, _delighting in the blush that crept across Regina's cheeks. As the server returned with the orders, she ordered another for herself and for Regina, wiggling her eyebrows mischievously.

"As much as I enjoy the idea of spending an evening with you all, we have much to discuss." Rupert opened, a smile across his face. "Mr. Glass and I have all the paperwork necessary for the first part of this endeavor and we'll be happy to answer any other questions you may have. As I understand it, Mr. Nolan and Ms. Blanchard have sketches for review and I trust that this will be a truly collaborative effort."

"Well." Sidney began by way of greeting. "You've all received copies of the business proposal presented by Mr. Gold and signed on for the construction, concept and overall operation of said project so I suppose I should start with the signing incentive. If you'll check your emails, you'll see you will have received the first payments for the project. Included in this package are your official titles and capacities to which you'll be expected to execute your positions within the confines of the agreed contracts as discussed individually with Mr. Gold."

Cellphone screens lit up individual faces as they read through the digital versions of the contracts. Emma's eyebrows raised in surprise. This was far more than she thought she would be receiving and seeing the title of Executive Chef next to her name made her heart beat double time. She glanced up from her screen to watch Regina with interest, the corners of her mouth pulled into a small smile. She guessed Regina had gotten really good news too. She took a sip of her drink to settle her nerves and turned in her seat towards Sidney as he continued.

"I will arrange individual meetings with everyone to sign the contracts for our records and discuss any additional concerns should the need to be addressed." said Sidney. "Which I hope there will be no real complaints."

"We will also set up the checking accounts and have a meeting at the start of each month to keep up with costs, concerns and of course, progress." Rupert added with a nod. "As I understand, Regina and Emma have been discussing the interiors with Mr. Nolan and Ms. Blanchard. I have made it clear that I will have final approvals of everything before we officially break ground on Monday. Now, David, did we receive the proper paperwork from the city to begin?"

David was caught off guard, his bottle of Blue Moon inches from his lips. "Well. I'm still waiting on the paperwork but from what I saw, the place is completely up to code. When I first met with Emma and Regina, we all agreed we can start looking into the plumbing, electrical and the kitchen equipment before we start talking interiors."

"Regina, was I mistaken in your description of this…_viking dive bar?"_

Emma's jaw tightened as Regina answered. "No you weren't. Those were the," her eyes briefly met with Emma's, "preliminary words used. I believe the consensus was an old world tavern, Viking being the uhm, _source _for inspiration."

"Well then. Let's discuss the specifics."

Mary Margaret took that as her cue and handed around photocopies of her sketches to everyone at the table, her hands trembling slightly at the idea of everyone giving her feedback at once. David's right hand found her knee under the table, giving her a gentle squeeze as he took a pull from his beer. "Well, the idea was that it would feel like an old world tavern with a modern twist so…we took the idea and ran with it. We would work the exposed brick and wood beams into the design, include modernized sconces, a simulated fireplace, big chairs and long reclaimed wood tables. We thought the look should evoke an old trade post, gathering place."

Sidney took a sip of his drink, eyeing the paper with interest. "This looks like something out of a Lord of The Rings playbook."

"That's exactly the look we were going for." David said almost defensively. "Old world with a modern world feel."

Rupert was silent as he looked through the designs. It had been sometime since he'd seen the space having acquired it in a low key bidding war late last year. He felt confident that whatever they decided they were going with the space, it would compliment the neighborhood and flatter his bottom line. "I find it rather delightful." He said finally, taking a sip of his gin and tonic with great pleasure. "It works well with the neighborhood and flatters the space it lives in."

Sidney paled, pushing his glasses up farther on the bridge of his nose. "Yes, well, I think I may have aged out of the desired demographic."

"Well, that's the beauty of it." Emma piped up, finding her voice courtesy of her second whiskey and ginger. "It works for anyone. The early brunch sports crowd, the pre-gaming bar crawl types…it's very versatile for what it is."

Rupert smiled at Emma, taking a moment to note the way Regina's mouth seemed to tighten at the sale. "Precisely why I trust your judgment, Ms. Swan. Regina, do you have anything else to contribute?"

Regina's eyes darted from Emma towards Rupert, avoiding contact with everyone else. "Only that I think we should agree on the menu and the name."

Rupert gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Of course. The menu." He looked around the table, leaving it open for recommendations. "Suggestions?"

"Modern American twists on traditional old world favorites." Regina blurted out, the second helping of whiskey kicking in. "I'm sure we can agree on something that feels old world and comforting."

Rupert smiled again, nodding towards Regina. "I knew you had a little something left in you." He held up his glass, nodding towards each person. "All around, I'm rather impressed with everyone here. Ms. Blanchard and Mr. Nolan promise something impressive with the design and I trust that Regina and Ms. Swan will provide a quality culinary experience. To the success of this endeavor." He held up his glass, clinking it against everyone's glass.

They ate in amiable silence, Emma practically diving into her burger while Regina enjoyed a large Cobb salad and switched over to water. She noticed that Emma studied the plate, her elbows on either side of the table, taking time and enjoying the meal as she spoke with David and Mary Margaret. She could see the blonde was calculating things in her mind, just what it was, remained a mystery to her. Regina found herself admiring her, the way she casually spoke to David, clinking glasses as they giggled about whatever it was they were giggling about. She had worked with David for a renovation job a few years back and barely spoke to him but found Katherine's ability to converse with him admirable. She took another sip of her water, grateful to feel the effects of the liquor abating as she continued eating.

"Alive in there?" Emma asked as if she could read Regina's thoughts.

"Quite." Regina replied with wave of her fork. "Thank you for asking."

"I'd be a terrible host if I didn't." said Emma with a nod, popping a french fry into her mouth. "I was thinking, with the design of this, that maybe we should

Rupert rounded the table and held out a hand toward Regina, a polite smile on his face. "Regina, a word?" he asked.

Emma turned in her seat, watching the two of them as Sidney followed closely behind. He stuck out an awkward right hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Swan." He said before shuffling between the seats towards the front door.

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"It appears your fears are unwarranted, Regina." Rupert said with a grin, his cell phone in his hand as he leaned on his cane.

Regina hated being caught with Rupert, especially with the very catty Sidney looming nearby. "Well, you know what they say, if you can't beat them, join them."

"You can admit you were wrong Regina, no one would hold it against you." Rupert pressed, pocketing his phone, turning his attention to an increasingly uncomfortable Regina.

"You can't be confident in this."

"Oh but I can be. I have everything I need in place. It's you that I find lacking in the confidence department."

"It's not confidence in the undertaking that I lack…"

"Isn't it?" he turned, eyeing Regina the way he did when they'd first met her senior year of high school. "You're still scared of things that are beyond your control." He nodded back towards the restaurant. "She's always been out of your control and she may well be the deciding factor in your success."

Regina's jaw tightened. "She doesn't control my destiny. I do."

Rupert's grin widened. "Then you know what you must do."

Regina knew, the trouble was, she had no idea what it was.

"As always, a pleasure Regina." Rupert continued, almost as though they hadn't had a cold exchange. "I look forward to what comes next." He handed her a wad of bills before walking towards the black town car that pulled up to the curb and climbing in with Sidney in tow.

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Regina returned to her seat, paler than Emma had ever seen her. She quickly turned her attention to the stricken brunette as she sat quietly in her seat, drinking her water slowly, eyes closed.

"Hey, you alright?" Emma asked, her hand crossing the tabletop and towards Regina.

Regina's eyes opened slowly, catching Emma's with renewed fire behind them. She nodded, finishing the water and placing the glass on the table. "Rupert insisted we enjoy the evening." She held up the cash and dropped it on the table between them, her jaw tight.

David's eyes landed on the money before his gaze flicked between the two women. "He's certainly one for big spending." he joked. Mary Margaret bumped him with her shoulder. "Does that mean we have to stop or take the party elsewhere?"

Emma slowly reached for the money, counting it. It was well over three hundred dollars in twenties. She immediately pictured Ruby's eyes going wide with the wad of cash currently in her hand. "I suppose it means we'd have enough time to kill between now and whenever we have to start working on the restaurant."

Regina's ears perked up at the word _suppose_. Her vocabulary was rubbing off on Emma and they hadn't spent all that much time around each other.

"Well, I don't have anything to do tonight, how about you guys?" David asked, a goofy grin on his face.

They paid the bill and Emma held onto the rest, figuring it had to be a down payment for something. She watched Regina as she awkwardly slipped her arm into her blazer. Chivalry kicked in and Emma helped her left arm into the garment, careful to not say or do something that might cause Regina to make a smart remark. Regina turned slowly, her eyes landing on Emma's. "Thank you." She said simply, adjusting the collar and break of the blazer.

"Sure." Emma replied, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jeans as David led the way out of the restaurant. She let Regina out ahead of her, keeping close. She suddenly felt protective of her bully and couldn't explain why. "Hey, can I ask you something?" she asked, her mouth dangerously close to Regina's left ear.

Regina's body stiffened as they rounded out of the seats and out onto the street. She nodded, slipping out of the door David held open.

"What'd he say to you?" Emma asked, her voice steely.

"Nothing." Regina replied, self conscious of how easily Rupert had rattled her.

Emma watched Regina as she busied herself with her phone, thumb absently scrolling through apps, doing her best to avoid further conversation. "So, are we going for another round somewhere?" Emma asked, watching as Mary Margaret tucked herself into David's arm, the two of them lost in their own world.

"I'm good for another round." David replied. "Feel like celebrating a little."

Emma turned toward Regina who shoved her phone into her pocket. "Feel like calling it a night?"

Regina weighed her options. She could go home and continue her research or she could get to know her newfound business partner. She decided if success was the outcome, she'd have to do what needed to be done. "Where do you suggest we go?"

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	7. Go Your Own Way

_The Hamptons 2011_

_Regina hated having to work the room during events. It meant handshaking, small talk with people whose names she'd forget just as easily as they forgot hers, the smell of liquor on people's breath and the awkward exchange of information to cater the next event. She had a hard time speaking to people who she knew didn't appreciate what went into making any of their affairs happen. They all felt beneath her, despite her having been in their world since birth; you can be an ignorant snob or you can be a self-aware snob and she was neither. She wanted to build a place of her own, her own empire outside of the one her mother and father and built in real estate. She was thankful for their work and upbringing, if that's what one would call it but she knew she couldn't rely on that for long, she had come to detest everyone she'd grown up with, grateful she'd gone away for college and learned who she was. She was self-motivated, determined and stubborn believing she was worth more than what her mother claimed she was. She'd gone against her mother's wishes with culinary and business school, preferring to become a woman of note on her own. She knew her value, her worth and she controlled her destiny and she was always going to run things in her way. Maybe she wasn't _**exactly**_ like her mother but she was close enough to make people think twice about crossing her._

_Regina left Katherine with the clientele so she could stay in the work area and supervise the staff. After making quick work of the room, she made her way to the outer deck where a service table was set up, checking the temperature of everything, making notes of what needed to be refilled, commanding the servers to make quick work of the supply run before disappearing to the kitchen. She slipped her chef's jacket back on, pulling her hair back up into a ponytail. She tucked her clipboard into a nearby nook. She was glad to see the kitchen in full swing as they continued to dole out hors d'oeuvres and champagne while Arthur worked on the main course. She stopped admiring the work when she realized that the large balding man who had been her head chef was not at his station but the tall blonde working in his place._

_ "I see you're not handling the desserts station." Regina remarked, her arms folded across her chest. "Where is Arthur?"_

_ Emma looked up from the particularly thick piece of seafood was working on. "He had to take a break, something about tyrants and his aching ass." Emma replied with a shrug, knowing Arthur meant Regina and he probably wasn't going to be back any time soon. "It's alright though, it's just fruits and the crème fresh and that takes zero time to prep since Eddie and I already took care of the hard part. Don't worry, I've done this before." Emma added, placing the piece on the open grill. "Am I in trouble for being a team player?"_

_ "No." Regina replied, crossing towards the sink, rolling up her sleeves and washing her hands. She then politely invaded Emma's space at the prep station, using her hips to clear the counter. "But in the spirit of teamwork, you should begin preparing the desserts so that there is no back up in your area." She smiled, slipping on gloves and preparing the seafood._

_ Emma's brows knit with mock confusion. "Okay then." She slipped off her gloves, tossing them into the trash and turning on the sink. She scrubbed her hands, dried them and returned to her station. She stared at Regina's back as she worked. "I didn't do that badly did I?"_

_ Regina chuckled. "No you didn't. Although your filet skills could use some work."_

_"Then help me with my technique." Emma replied, pulling a pair of black plastic frame glasses from her pocket and crossing back towards Regina, peering over her shoulder to watch as she expertly prepared the salmon, adding a dash of seasoning before placing it on the grill. She was much faster at it than Emma had been. _

_ "You're supposed to be wearing glasses, no wonder you did such a shoddy job." Regina said as though she was reading Emma's thoughts, a smirk on her face as she worked. She opened up a bit and allowed for some space. "It's not as terrible as you think."_

_ "It wasn't so bad. I usually don't have to filet fruits."_

_She placed another piece of fish on the cutting board, the knife poised at the center most part of the piece. "You want to aim for the natural part of the meat so that as you cut that way, you are going with the grain as opposed to against it. Makes it much easier for the fork to cut through and the bones are easier to spot if there are any that remain. Same works for beef, pork and poultry."_

_ "So formal." Emma teased, watching intently as Regina worked, making mental notes._

_"I would imagine that there isn't much room for learning proper etiquette while preparing cupcakes."_

_"I do a little more than make cupcakes, but, I get it." She allowed for space as Regina approached the grill, giving a generous squeeze of lemon on the first piece, removing it from the grill, perfect lines across the flesh. _

_ "Now, you'll notice that the grill marks are quite prominent. Since this is a summer affair, a grill is perfectly fine. I personally prefer it steamed or pan seared and it is quite excellent when prepared on oak for a richer flavor but…" Regina shrugged, plating the piece, "the clients request." She continued to plate the rest of the pieces, added fresh lemon wedges, parsley and a dash of sea salt, knowing full well the presentation wouldn't matter, they would simply swarm the platter and leave the decoration._

_ "I didn't think you actually ate food to be honest." Emma joked, stepping back as Regina brought the platter out to the relay table where one of the many servers grabbed it and raced towards the outdoor area. Another staff member grabbed the abandoned plates and brought them to the rear wash station set up outside. "I thought you lived on people's fears and drank their tears to live."_

_ Regina cleaned the workstation, preparing for the beef kebabs that were next. "Is that what you think of me?"_

_"That's what I heard. I mean, I just met you and you're not so bad."_

_Regina's cheeks pinked. "Have you worked with vegetables?"_

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McIver's Bar was rowdier than usual this evening, the screens covering the Eastern Conference finals, a Rangers game two Yankees and Mets games. Emma entered and immediately ducked back out, eyes wide with surprise. "Well, that's a little much." she said. "Next location?"

They slowly wound their way around the Bowery, the streets brimming with people as they enjoyed a warm spring evening. Regina had her hands shoved into her pockets, eyeing the streets as they walked. She wanted to go home, she didn't want to bar crawl on a Friday night with someone she was still trying to figure out and a very much in love couple tailing just behind them. She watched Emma as she walked with her hands jammed into the pockets of her leather jacket, waiting for the light to change. Regina pulled her hands out of her pockets and pressed her palms together, searching for an opening. She had been so confident in the café when it was just the two of them, two drinks in and she was certain that she could easily start a casual conversation but her words seemed to fail.

"Are you sure you want to be out here?" Emma asked, her tone quiet as they crossed First Avenue. "You seem a little…"

"I'm fine. Thank you." Regina replied, genuinely touched that Emma was concerned. She rubbed her palms together as they walked, her mind drifting to the conversation with Rupert. She knew she had to be on her game but for some reason, the longer she was around Emma the less of a threat she felt like. Maybe it wouldn't be such a battle after all.

"You sure? You were like, three people while we were in there."

Regina blushed and stared ahead of her, eyeing the bridge off in the distance, traffic lights of cars coming and going from Manhattan into Brooklyn. "If this is going to be a cross examination, maybe I will take my leave."

"No, no, no cross examination. Just, making sure you're alright."

"Do you have somewhere in mind? Or are we doomed to wandering around the Lower East Side for eternity?" Regina asked, a little fire back in her belly. She never wanted to be seen as weak and if she was going to be honest with herself, she didn't want to seem like a pushover with Emma.

"Will you turn into a pumpkin if I don't get you home on time?"

Regina chuckled. "How chivalrous, assuming you're going to take me home."

"I'm surprised you're not offended I called you a magical gourd."

"I will not turn into a pumpkin but again, thank you for the concern."

"Hey Emma, I know a place that's a few blocks away, nice old world bar we should check it out." David offered, cutting in between the two women. "Just off Orchard." He led the way, Mary Margaret beside him, their hands interlocked.

"I'm getting sick looking at those two." Regina muttered, rolling her eyes.

"I think it's sweet."

"Says the pastry chef."

"Oh c'mon, look at them. It's like Prince Charming is leading us on an booze fueled adventure through the mystical land of the Lower East Side."

After a few minutes of walking they were standing outside Hair of The Dog. Regina made a face while David and Mary Margaret gleefully discussed the rustic exterior, pointing out the architectural details. "You see, they've converted the space to look like an old English way station, loads of wood working and modernized iron work. That bar alone is a perfect focal point. I think it's a perfect starting point."

"I'm confused why are we here?" Regina stared up at the sign, seeing some of what David had pointed out before staring at Emma in surprise. "I thought we agreed on the architecture and design…"

"Well, yeah we did but we have to compare notes, collaborate and work." Emma smiled. "What, did you think we came out here to get drunk?"

Regina paled and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Well, I can't get too drunk." David said, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "We have to take the train back up."

"We also have to take note of the scene down here, the crowd we'd like to cater to, what the traffic is like, how busy we should expect to be when it comes down to seasons…" Emma added helpfully, her hands shoved into the pockets of her jeans.

Mary Margaret glanced between Regina and Emma, chewing her bottom lip in thought. "Don't think of it as work, we're doing recon. Like a spy game."

Regina chuckled. She remembered the many projects she and Henry worked on, all the code names he'd give them so they could talk about them in public and no one would be the wiser. "Fine, fine."

Clad in all black, the burly bouncer's right hand shot up. "ID's."

"I haven't been carded in awhile." Regina bashfully admitted as she held out her driver's license. She awkwardly tucked her hair behind her ear as the bouncer checked it underneath a blacklight.

"Then no one's been doing their job." The bouncer replied with a wink handing the license back. "Enjoy."

To the right side of the door was the main bar where three stressed out bartenders were doling out drinks to twentysomethings who seemed to be clinging to the hardwood bar like their lives depended on it. Or they were incredibly drunk, Regina wasn't sure. Island tables decorated the floor surrounded by stools and in the farther part of the bar was a smaller less crowded bar where patrons were doing shots every time a New York Knick missed a shot; they were pretty plastered. To the farthest wall were intimate looking booths, packed with the after work crowd sharing baskets of wings, beers and snacks.

They entered, finding it comfortable enough to move around while David grabbed an available freestanding table and dragged over three stools. "Ladies." He said with a gallant wave. "What can I get you?"

"Water." Regina replied, smirking at Emma's expression. "You said we had to work"

"I didn't mean serious work, just…" she shrugged sliding onto the barstool next to Regina. She waved her hand around. "Enjoying the atmosphere…"

"Stella." said Mary Margaret.

"You just want me to yell that at the bartender." David replied.

"Just checking to see if you're paying attention." Mary Margaret smirked.

"If I get tossed out on my ass because I wanted to impress you." David grinned. "Emma?"

"Uh, another Jack and ginger."

"Oof." David teased, patting his chest. "Going for the hard stuff." He turned towards the smaller bar, leaving the three women to themselves for a moment.

Regina busied herself with studying the sticky plastic menu tucked into the condiments caddy on the table, her lip curled with distaste. "_This_ is our competition?"

Mary Margaret smiled as she picked up the other menu, reading through it. "I don't think it's that bad actually. Everyone is pretty much out of college, working and…who's ever felt terrible about tater tots? You kind of have to see the other side of it, sticky menus aside."

Regina's eyebrows quirked up, a bemused smirk on her face. "Is that optimism? You do that a lot don't you?"

Mary Margaret shrugged. "I do. Get used to it."

"She's right. The place is pretty much where we want to be demographically." Emma supplied, studying the menu still pinched in Regina's fingertips. "I mean, tater tots, hot dogs and onion rings may not be the best move but it's a bar and this is bar food."

"Exactly, I thought we agreed, we weren't doing bar food…"

"Well, we won't be, we'll have a bar atmosphere and a somewhat sophisticated menu but…this…this is bread and butter stuff right here." said Emma. "We'll also have bread and butter."

Regina shook her head as David returned, drinks in hand. "What'd I miss?"

"We're trying to convince Regina that this is the tone we're going for…"

"I refuse to accept sticky menus."

"The menus won't be sticky."

After handing each their drink, David took the menu and looked at it. "They've got burgers."

"Forest for trees." Regina grumbled. "Let me see the sketches." She held out an exasperated hand towards Mary Margaret.

Mary Margaret beamed as she pulled out her black sketchbook, opening it and handing it over to Regina. "I think we can work with the rich tones and David and I already found a great place for the reclaimed wood. We'll have to set up a date to go looking at the kitchen equipment and start working on that first thing. Maybe we can go shopping for some of the little touches that will add some charm to the space."

Emma watched Regina as she poured over the book. "Everything in here is beautiful guys but she's still stuck on the menu." said Emma with a shrug.

"I am not."

"Yes you are."

"I think your superpower is damaged."

"It's not." Emma deadpanned.

David and Mary Margaret exchanged amused glances. "So what day works for you? To check out the kitchen equipment I mean. I'd like to atleast get those approved and on order so once the work permits arrive, we can get to work."

"Well, I'm free this weekend and then I got back to a five day rotating schedule next week, mostly later afternoon evening shifts." Emma offered. "I can go early in the day…"

"Sounds great. I'll have my guy set up the time in the morning and we can head out to Queens to take a look." David replied.

"Whatever time you pick is fine Ms. Swan." Regina added absently, flipping through the sketchbook without looking up.

"So I'm back to being the secretary." Emma mumbled. "Wednesday is good for me, I have that day off and can make it out to Queens if you want."

"Fine."

David nodded. "Cool. I'll give you a call when we're ready." He toasted his pint against Emma's glass. "Secretary Swan."

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_The Hamptons 2011_

_Regina was becoming increasingly agitated as she prepared yet another piece of beef for the grill. "When did Arthur say he'd be back?"_

_ "Honestly don't know." Emma replied as she sliced down peppers to Regina's specifications._

_ "I don't know why I thought that imbecile could handle this job. I specifically told Katherine I didn't trust him but she insisted..." Regina grumbled, cubing beef and putting a little too much emphasis in the skewering. "He's always had some contempt for me."_

_Emma's brows knit in concern. "I can take a trip around the grounds to see if maybe he's taking a super long cigarette break somewhere."_

_ "No. I need you here." Regina snapped, placing the shish kabobs onto the grill, her cheeks sucked in with anger. "We have to finish these off, start serving the desserts and start packing the kitchen. We're booked until 11 and there's about a million other things we still need to finish here." She seemed frustrated, her brows knit with agitation and she watched the grill, the sizzling seeming to match her mood. _

_ Emma looked around the kitchen as servers bustled in and out. She noticed that number of people running around had decreased dramatically in the last two hours. "Sure. Yeah. Whatever you need."_

_ "Send these out and make sure that the dishware that belongs to us is being collected." Regina said, turning the shish kabobs by their skewers, her jaw tight with anger._

_ "Whatever you need." said Emma, making sure her jacket wasn't dirty as she exited the kitchen to check the outdoor tables. She ran right into Katherine, her face white with shock. _

_ "Where's Regina?" Katherine asked, pushing Emma back through the kitchen door. "I need her now."_

_ "What's going on?" Regina asked from the range, piling the kabobs into the platter and shooing the servers away. "What's wrong?"_

_ "Jeffery split, he said he can't work with you anymore."_

_"What?!" Regina blurted out, her grip on the tongs tightening, her knuckles going white. "What do you mean, he split?"_

_ "He just left. He said he was done and just…left."_

_Regina wheeled on Emma, staring at her. "Where. Is. Arthur?" she demanded, her jaw tight._

_ "I told you I don't know. He just said he was…"_

_Regina held up her right hand, effectively cutting off whatever response was to come. She turned to Katherine. "Find Jeffery and Arthur, bring them back here and then we fire them. Understood?" _

_ "Got it." Katherine replied turning on her heel and scrambling out towards the garage, ditching her clipboard on the nearest counter. Regina watched her go and closed her eyes tight, jaw clenched tight and counting to ten. She exhaled and slowly opened her eyes, deep brown orbs fired with purpose._

_ "__Guess it's just you and me huh?" Emma asked with a shrug. _


	8. Hot In Here

Thanks to everyone for reading this. It started out as a shits and giggles project to keep me writing and has spiraled out of control in the best way possible. Thanks for the patience as well, especially with the gaps. I know I was updating every day and it's slowed down a bit. Hair of The Dog is a real place, it's amazing and I'm sorry if I'm downplaying its awesome for the sake of character development. We'll see the beginning of the overall story title and each chapter title is kind of a wink and nod, especially since I'm trying to keep with my weird thing with music inspired entries. Again, thanks for reading and being so nice to me.

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Regina finally caved in an ordered a red wine, the whiskey having left her system hours ago. She watched as Mary Margaret, David and Emma bonded over their mutual history of working odd jobs, while she sat, writing notes in her Moleskine. It wasn't that she couldn't _join_ the conversation; she just didn't share much in common with the trio in front of her and preferred to listen and learn, rather than participate. She thanked the server who brought over the wine and asked for some napkins as she propped herself up on her elbows, the fingertips of her left hand running along the lip of the clean wineglass. Maybe she had trust issues. She didn't see herself opening up to people she didn't think she would see again. _With the exception of Emma_. Liked it or not, they were stuck together.

She sighed and took a sip, delighted that it wasn't some cheap box wine but a decent vintage from a real bottle. _Probably fell from the back of a truck _she thought silently to herself, her eyes roaming along the backsplash of the bar. She handed back her watching as Mary Margaret leaned against David as she spoke, patting the sketchbook with her right hand, a massive smile on her face. She supposed she was somewhat jealous of the way they just, connected and found herself brooding over the thought. It wasn't long until Mary Margaret noticed and tried to reel Regina into their conversation.

"I'm sure you've had some really weird jobs Regina…" she said, taking a sip of her beer, eyebrows raised hopefully.

"I bussed a catered event once." Regina replied dryly, taking another sip of the red wine. "How'd you two meet?" she waved her wine glass between David and Mary Margaret, right eyebrow arched with interest.

"Well. I was a Pratt and working on interior design and she was there trying to audit free classes. I think she was wandering around the building for a bit before she just…snuck in. She would take the seat behind me everyday, ask for a pencil and a piece of paper and just sit there, sketching." David began, rolling his eyes with mock horror.

"So one day he decides he's going to spring a trap on me. He doesn't go to his usual seat and I'm stuck there, without a shred of any idea what to do. By then I'd figured out his course schedule and just kept walking around hoping to find him but no luck. So I get to the final class of the day, figuring, I've been here this long, I might as well just finish the day. So I'm sitting there and duck low enough for the professor to miss me. Next day, the same thing, no David anywhere. So, I just keep sitting in classes and he's not around so I think, oh great, he's dead or he transferred out or something. This goes for about a week. I get to the class where we 'met.' Next thing I know, he taps me on the shoulder, slips me a sheet of paper and a pencil with his number and he'd written 'I'll always find you.' It creeped me out but it was kinda sweet."

"I'd been tailing her the whole time." David admitted, a grin on his face. "If she had been registered for classes, she would've passed with flying colors."

"We've been together ever since." Mary Margaret finished, bumping David with her shoulder.

Regina rolled her eyes and sighed. She was sorry she had even asked. "How charming."

"So you didn't actually go to school for this?" Emma asked, nodding towards the sketchbook, trying to deflect some of Regina's venom. "I'm a little jealous."

"Not formally no. I worked in the library and just…" she shrugged mischievously, her hands flipping her short bangs back with flair. "Figured, I was already in the right place, might as well get an education."

"That's amazing." Emma replied.

"Emma's self-taught." said Regina. "Cooking anyway." She watched Emma from the corner of her eye shift in her seat. It amused her to think the blonde thought she hadn't been paying attention.

"No kidding." Mary Margaret said. "I figured you had been to atleast four different schools or something."

"No. I got pretty lucky and just worked my way through. Had some amazing teachers along the way." Emma glanced at Regina who'd become preoccupied with the sticky menu again, watching the way the other woman's cheeks seemed to redden slightly. "I know it's not anything as cool as that, but, I'd like to think we all have our talents."

"Oh definitely." Mary Margaret replied with a nod. "I think that's why this is going to be a unique experience. We all bring something to the table."

"I see what you did there." said David with a wink, knocking on the tabletop with a grin. "Speaking of, let me show you what we found so far." David pulled out his phone, scrolling through his photos and showing off the reclaimed wood tabletop they'd placed a hold on. "It's solid oak, super heavy but I'm sure we can work with it. There's a long bench that goes with it and a companion table so we can get the set for the upstairs dining area. Downstairs we were thinking something along the lines of this set up, but a little cozier."

Regina leaned closer towards the outstretched phone, aware that Emma's body stiffened with the proximity. "I thought we agreed the downstairs area would be a storage facility." she said, leaning back into her seat.

"Well. I don't think we _agreed_. I think it was more of a, let's sit around and talk about it…" Mary Margaret countered, scrolling to the left and showcasing the furniture ideas they'd seen while out on another worksite. "I think the words were, we'll get the kitchen out of the way and we'll let it sort itself all out."

"Nice paraphrasing." Emma joked, watching Regina's eyes narrow, the gears turning in her head. "Look. We go back to the space before we get the kitchen in order and really just do a mock up of everything."

Regina gave a non-committal half shrug. "Alright, fine. And if we can't agree?"

"Well then we'll have to go to Rupert for the tie-breaker." Emma replied smugly.

"No, we won't." Regina said, eyeing Emma as though she was sprouting a second head. "We're all adults. We'll find a middle ground."

"And. I think these two should worry about the look and feel of the place. _We_ will have to deal with the finer details. Like the menu." Emma concluded. "Since it's bugging you so much."

"Ah yes. The menu." Regina nodded, staring at the menu that she tucked back into the caddy. "They will not be laminated lunchroom messes I hope."

"Not for the high end dining experience no. The plebs can deal with sticky menus."

"And just what is your idea of a high end dining experience, Ms. Swan?" Regina countered, her fingers twirling the wine stem as she studied Emma, knowing using her last name with that tone made her uncomfortable.

"You know I'm versatile."

They held steely gazes, Regina's jaw clenching and unclenching at the vague hint of a smirk tugging on the corners of Emma's mouth.

"I know we ate but I totally want tater tots." Mary Margaret blurted out, trying to ease the growing tension between the two women.

"Thank God." David replied. "I wanted the same thing but I didn't want to be that guy."

"And yet…"

As if by magic, their server appeared again, her hands jammed into the front of her apron, bopping along to the music that blared out from the overhead speakers. "What can I get you guys?"

"TATER TOTS!" Mary Margaret exclaimed cheerfully. "And another two Stellas."

"Another wine." Regina said, downing hers and running her tongue along her teeth.

"Gotcha." she turned on her heel and headed towards a small cutout window with a hand painted sign reading "the kitchen."

"Oh good God, the kitchen is some hole in the wall." Regina groaned.

"Figured that'd be a good thing, show you how this place might not be entirely out direct competition after all." Emma offered, finishing her drink.

"It's actually pretty roomy back there…" David added. "They've got a little more than just the bar snacks." He nodded towards the menu that had been the bane of Regina's existence. "Burgers and all that."

"You're all so helpful." Regina muttered. "We've yet to establish anything that would or could make this successful, short of nice sketches, tables and the agreement that we'd be adults about it all."

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_The Hamptons 2011_

"_It's not you and I, Ms. Swan." Regina replied icily, the range behind her hissing and spitting for emphasis. Regina stared at Emma, eyes burning into her. "I have Katherine and I'm not quite sure what to make of you at this point. How long has Arthur been gone?"_

_Emma shrugged. "He just left, I thought he went on a break."_

_"Then where is he?" Regina fumed._

_"I have no idea, Regina." Emma fumbled. "That never came up, honestly. I Just stepped in…"_

_Regina sucked in her cheeks, her jaw working as she evaluated the situation. She exhaled heavily through her nose, rolling her head slightly on her neck before squaring her shoulders. "Finish whatever you're doing at your station." She turned back to the range, effectively freezing out Emma._

_ Emma kept her head low as she worked, glad that Eddie returned to the back to help take out the dessert trays. She could feel heat radiating from Regina's back and it was rivaling the heat outside, nevermind the heat coming from the range. She wiped at her brow with the sleeve of her jacket. He caught Emma's eye and held it, whispering as they worked._

_"Em." Eddie whispered. "Jeffery is MIA."_

_"I heard." she replied, her heart thumping in her chest. Arthur had been ranting for ten minutes as he prepped the snacks, grumbling more to himself than to her about working for Regina Mills was like working under a brutal tyrant. She half listened as she worked on her end, occasionally engaging him but opting to avoid any kind of serious conversation. She racked her memory for any mention of mutiny from the older chef, fairly certain he'd said he was going to quit but she couldn't swear to it. She had only half listened to Arthur as he worked and made herself as scarce as possible when Regina returned, the two of them locked in a heated exchange. _

_Emma had worked a handful of jobs deep in the heart of big money country known as the Hamptons. She had heard the occasional story or two about Regina Mills, mostly referring to her as hell in heels for her cold nature, meticulous management skills and zero tolerance for insubordination. Emma had gotten the gig today because a friend opted out after having a particularly unsavory encounter with Regina working, of all things, a Sweet Sixteen._

_"Why is she at the range?" Eddie nodded towards Regina noticing her for the first time. "Where'd Arthur go?"_

_ "Arthur is gone too."_

_Eddie's eyes went wide with shock. "No way.."_

_ "Way." she whispered, filling the small goblets with crème fresh as Eddie dropped in the mixed fruits. They were loading serving trays with desert, placing them onto the relay counter as fast as they could._

_ "She's really doing a number then."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Emma, c'mon. I've seen you around these things. We all talk. You've heard atleast one hell in heels story right?_

_"Well. Yeah." Emma admitted with a shrug. "But I don't really pay attention to gossip." _

_ Seeing as Emma had never worked with Regina until this evening she wasn't about to engage in any slander, no matter how true the rumors were proving to be, with a paycheck on the line. She had no idea if there were moles around and she couldn't afford to draw the ire of someone who was so obviously well connected. _

_"Gossip. That's sweet of you." He giggled, carefully doling out the crème fresh._

_ "Did you see him?" asked Emma. _

_ "Last time I saw him was when I was back here with you doing prep." Eddie replied, placing the finished goblets onto a tray and continuing to mix the fruits with a small scooper. _

_ Emma glanced over at Regina's back as she piled the kebobs into a tray. She could tell she no longer cared about presentation; she just wanted the night to be over. Emma hoped she didn't have eyes in the back of her head. "Well, he and Regina were kind of going back and forth for a bit. Then he was quiet and then he just said he had to take a break. I said I'd cover for him then he never came back."_

_ "That's so creepy. You should've heard what _**that**_ one sounded like when she was outside with Jeffery. She was pissed."_

_ "What'd she say?" Emma asked, genuinely intrigued by how everyone said Regina was the worst person to work for while she had spent most of the evening getting cooking tips from her. She had been nervous being in the kitchen with Regina following Arthur's apparent exit but found her to be quite warm if a bit distant. It didn't seem possible that there could be that many conflicting encounters with Regina Mills in one night but as much as she hated to admit it, rumors were turning out to be true. _

_"She was __**pissed**__ that he'd set up his own tip cup knowing that there's one big pot that we're splitting at the end of the night. She REALLY hated that he'd had his blazer off and rolled up his sleeves. He has both arms covered in tattoos, so that didn't help his cause." He shook his head in disbelief. "It was kind of insane. Katherine had to bail him out and pull her away." _

_ "He said Regina was a tyrant, paying more attention to snobs and not the staff. He was tired and wanted a break." Emma replied, realizing as she spoke that she was about to incur Regina's wrath once it dawned on her that out of her entire cooking staff, Emma was the only one who'd been in the kitchen the entire time. "That was it."_

_ "Oh man, this is not good. I know a few people were getting ready to leave once this goes out. Everyone packed dinner trays and everything." Eddie said, shaking his head again. "This fell apart super fast."_

_ "How?"_

_"You didn't notice?"_

_"Notice what?"_

_"The serving staff just started trickling out. Everyone else in there is totally wasted so they cleaned up, dumped whatever needed to be dumped, took some bottles and started disappearing." Eddie replied, "You must really in the zone back here."_

_"But we don't close out officially until 11."_

_"Like that matters. It's the middle of the summer, dude. There's another less stressful gig coming." He deposited another set of goblets onto the tray, an exhausted looking server picking it up and leaving. "Oh my God, you don't think they both split together do you?" his hushed tone kicked up a notch. _

_Katherine burst into the kitchen, lips pursed with agitation. "Regina…" _

_ At the sound of her name, Regina turned around, her jaw tight, the muscles clenching as she folded her arms across her chest. "I hope you have news."_

_ Katherine glanced around the kitchen, watching the serving staff as they grabbed the next course and cleared out, leaving Emma, Regina and Eddie staring at her with wide eyes. Picking up on the concern, Emma nodded to Eddie, a tray in her hand motioning for them to leave. _

_"Swan, you stay." Regina ordered before Emma could sneak off with Eddie. Her eyes went wide as Eddie took the trays and left. He deliberately slowed his pace to catch whatever Katherine was about to say. _

_ "One of the delivery trucks are gone." said Katherine as calmly as she could. _

_"What do you mean, gone?" Regina exclaimed in exasperation. "What the hell is going on here?"_

_ "I went out to see if perhaps they had gone out to the beach for a cigarette break and nothing. One of the servers said that Jeffery had been aggravated for much of the day, something about the way you spoke to him."_

_ "Remind me who he is again?" Regina asked, chewing on the inside of her cheek. "The bartender."_

_"Of course." She rolled her eyes. "Is there someone there now?"_

_ "I have someone in place, yes. I also did a quick crew count and it would seem that Jeffery and Arthur aren't the only two who aren't on the premises at the moment." Katherine replied, eyes darting to Emma as though she wasn't sure she should even be hearing this. _

_"How many more are gone?" Regina asked, shutting off the range, pulling her gloves off with disgust._

_"Five or six. I'd have to do a crew huddle to get a full head count."_

_"Five or six." Regina replied, her palms pressed together, eyes distant as she stared off at a particularly interesting tile on the floor._

_"How do you want to handle this?" Katherine asked, her tone not unlike someone approaching a very agitated lion. _

_ "We should probably give them a call…just to see if they're not dead in a ditch somewhere." Emma chimed in, uncertain if she should even be contributing to the conversation. "Maybe they're all on break or something."_

_"At the same time?" Regina asked as she looked up from the interesting tile toward Emma, her tone alarmingly calm for someone who was in the middle of stage one meltdown. _

_"It happens." Emma offered, wishing she hadn't said anything. She went back to setting up the goblets and filling them up, hoping that Eddie wouldn't walk back in with the empty tray, dying for more information. _

_ "Worth a shot." Katherine nodded and looked for clipboard, flipping through the paperwork to find the two men's information. She pulled out her phone, turned her back to Emma and Regina and dialed. Emma busied herself with finishing the rest of the crème fresh goblets and getting them out of the kitchen as fast as she could, careful to not do too much to draw Regina's attention to her. Katherine was busy with the first of many phone calls, giving Emma the opportunity to check on Regina, who was busy dumping the utensils into a bin for the cleaning staff to take care of. _

_ "So, where can I help?" _

_Regina continued sorting out the utensils, her back still to Emma. "You can start by telling me where Mr. Clarke went."_

_ "Mr. Clarke?"_

_"Arthur. Where did he go Did he say anything?"_

_"I don't know where he went. He just turned and said he needed a break and that's it. I was here where you found me."_

_Regina turned to face Emma her back braced against the counter, arms folded, resignation etched into her features. "This is a disaster."_

_"Based on the noise going on outside, I'd say it's a success. Two grown men leave because they can't handle the work, that's on them."_

_"Eight people. __**Eight.**__ My staff lacks respect for me." Regina sounded pained, a storm of emotions washing over her face as she shook her head in disbelief. _

_Emma swallowed hard, she wasn't sure how to approach this. Decency told her to be sympathetic and listen while her own nerves told her to hightail it, she dreaded the moment Regina figured out what happened and immediately drew the conclusion that she was involved in it. "Well, it's just them, I think the rest of the staff respects you." She shrugged. "If it does anything for you, I respect what you're doing and some people mutiny for no reason."_

_ Regina chuckled. "Mutiny. Makes me sound just like the tyrant they say I am."_

_"I don't think you're that bad. I mean, you're really intimidating but…" she shrugged. "I just met you so I can't judge you."_

_ Regina's eyes slid up from that tile and caught Emma's, holding the gaze intently. "Thank you for that."_

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The tater tots were fresh when they arrived to their table much to Mary Margaret's delight, the fried bites smelling like heaven after two beers. She held out the basket, a grin plastered onto her face. "C'mon. At least one, Regina." Regina cut her a look before rolling her eyes and reaching for one of the tater tots, dunking it into the 'secret sauce' and popping it into her mouth. "Well?" Mary Margaret asked. "What's the verdict?"

"It's impossible to ruin anything when you fry it." Regina deadpanned, washing down the tot with some wine.

"Buzzkill." Emma said with a shake of her head, popping one into her mouth. "Well, I'm certainly not advocating for tater tots but, if we're going to be an all purpose bar, we should consider them. You know you can class them up with Parmesan cheese and fresh oregano."

"The secret sauce isn't bad either." David chipped in, dunking his tot in with relish.

"French dressing, vinegar, salt, pepper and mayo does a make a secret sauce." Regina said, delighting in the wilted expression on David's face.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Two for two, Debbie Downer."

"If, and I mean this rather large _if_, we are entertaining bar food, we'll need something more cultured than this."

Emma's eyes lit up. "You're right."

"Of course I am. Your superpower is functioning again."

"We can pull up the menus of similar restaurants and create our ideal menus. Pick and choose the things we think will work, we'll get a bunch of people together and have them give us their review, that way we can really narrow down a menu that meets your obviously meticulous demands and matches what we know will work with a crowd like this." Regina was momentarily dazzled by Emma's smile dazzled; it was full of promise and optimism. Maybe it was the second generously over poured glass of wine but it made her feel a little dizzy. "Put your cooking skills up against mine."

Mary Margaret bounced in her seat. "Oh my God that's totally genius! I love it. When can we do it?"

"I'll find a test kitchen somewhere, say, maybe July?" Emma offered, her smile turning into a cocky grin.

"A whole month of preparation, Ms. Swan?" Regina bristled. "You must take me for some kind of amateur."

"I'll take you on whenever you're ready, your highness." Emma remarked.

"We'll some need ground rules."

"OF course." Regina said, turning in her chair to face Emma, eyes dancing with challenge. It'd been quite some time since she'd really thrown down in the kitchen. "I wouldn't want to make it too easy."

"Three courses. Appetizer, entrée and dessert."

"Simple enough." Regina replied with a shrug. "Anything else?"

"It has to be based on something that we have had or seen in a comparable restaurant menu. So we have to get our inspiration for a new version of the same old same old from our rivals. We have to do it better than they do it."

"Maybe you should have a choice of what three things?" Mary Margaret added, deeply invested in the brewing competition, her smile matching Emma's.

"And pairings. Very important." said David.

Regina's eyes bounced from the couple to Emma, a smirk on her face that caused a dimple in her cheek that made her look like the cat who ate the canary. "Fine. Anything else?"

"Winner gets to oversee the menu and the recipe for their specialty plate."

"Anything for that apple turnover." Regina chided. "You're on." She stuck out her hand, grasping Emma's in a serious handshake.

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After paying the tab, David and Mary Margaret parted ways with Regina and Emma, arms looped around each other as they walked away. Both women had downed their weight in water to successfully sober up and both were now fixated on the sight of the two lovers as they walked up the street along with traffic in the hopes of catching a cab. Emma pulled out a stick of gum, offering it to Regina like an olive branch. She took her head, declining and popped a mint instead.

"So, where to?" Emma asked, her hands jammed into her back pockets. She realized that was a rather blunt question but it was late and she didn't really care.

"Well, I'm going to head home." Regina replied, shifting the mint in her mouth with her tongue, tucking it into her cheek so that she wouldn't lisp.

"Where's that?"

Regina chuckled to herself. "I hope you don't think you're driving."

"Didn't drive." Emma replied, hands still in her pockets as she looked up and down the still busy streets. "You took the train right? I can walk you over if you'd like."

Regina considered the offer. "That'd be fine."

Emma nodded, slowly turning on her heel to walk along Orchard back towards Delancy Street. "What train do you need?"

"I can connect myself." Regina replied, tucking her hands into the pockets of her blazer, ambling alongside Emma. Their awkward conversation coupled with their slow pace made her smirk to herself, they must appear ridiculous to other people it looked like they'd just been on the worst date ever. "Thank you for the concern, Ms. Swan. I'm not drunk."

"You really are like, a million people at once, Regina." said Emma, her shoulders bobbing with a laugh. "You _just_ declared war on me in the kitchen and here you are now, being formal."

"Actually, you declared _war_ as you put it, on me and as for formalities, I can't help it." Regina shrugged, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The motion made Regina seem younger and less refined, something Emma hadn't seen since their full on interaction the past week. It felt like they'd lived a lifetime twice over. "It's just the way I was raised."

Emma nodded. "I guess. Still grates on me you know."

"I won't apologize for manners."

"Wasn't asking for that."

"Then?"

Emma stopped suddenly, pulling her hands out of her pockets and pressing her palms together in front of her. "You're hot and cold with me and you've always been that way, ever since that summer. It's like, you don't see me as an equal or something. I earned this, opportunity and every one before it. Me. Just me. You can't hold that against me."

Regina pursed her lips, the brief moment unrefined innocence replaced with the cold calculating expression that had always made Emma just a little afraid of her. "I hold nothing against you, Emma. You're right. You did earn this but it was at _my_ expense."

"Jesus Regina. If it hadn't been for me, they would've tossed your ass out of that house."

"That may be true, but that wasn't for you to do."

"Oh, because Rupert was supposed to bail you out. I forgot, he always takes care of his favorites."

"Apparently he does because look at the two of us, five years later. You did earn it. Everything."


	9. Take Me Back To The Start

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The walk to the train station had been awkward following their conversation and when they arrived, Emma mumbled good night, her hand raking awkwardly through her hair while Regina avoided making eye contact, turning and descending the steps to the station. Emma stood at the top of the stairs for a few minutes, replaying the conversation in her mind, chewing on her lower lip as she checked her cell phone for messages.

She'd missed several from Ruby, one about how busy work had been, two about needing milk, then negating that she had picked it up while on her way to pick up Lacey. She smirked at the final message.

_Oh Lacey is coming by. Hope you don't mind. Did you kill Regina? I need details! _

It was 12:30 in the morning and she felt guilty having let Regina take the train back uptown but she wasn't sure that either of them could tolerate another moment with each other, especially considering how things had ended. She tapped her fingers against the back of her cell phone in thought before keying up Regina's name. She stared at the contact name _Hell in Heels._ She changed it to _Regina_, saved the update and dialed, knowing it was going to go to voicemail.

"Uh, hi. It's Emma. I just wanted to make sure you got home ok. You don't have to call me back, you can text if you'd like. Good night." She hung up, staring at the blacked out screen and letting out a deep breath.

She was unsure as to why it bothered her so much, watching the way Regina's eyes welled with tears she wasn't going to shed in the middle of the street. She looked wounded and defensive at the same time, a look that was impressive to see considering how intimidating Emma had always found Regina to be. She wanted to run from her but after she gave her an awkward, reassuring hug. Emma had a hard time processing feelings, internalizing everything and shelving it for later. She'd spent her life in the foster system, living in houses filled with other kids she knew would be adopted much quicker than she would. When she landed in a home that had a fully stocked kitchen, Emma would immediately take charge of the younger kids, cooking and cleaning in the hopes that the next caseworker would use that as a selling point whenever families came around.

By the time she was sixteen, she'd given up and left. She met Lily and they'd moved into the summer house of some rich family in Minnesota, staying up late, watching TV and playing video games. She felt like she'd found someone who understood her, until Lily's father arrived, took her home and she wound up in another foster home. She liked Ingrid and Ingrid had taken a strong liking to her but Emma's gut told her this was all temporary and she ran away and kept running.

When she arrived in Boston, she managed to land a job waitressing. She finished her G.E.D and began applying for colleges, focusing on social work but finding that she was deeply fascinated with cooking. She started applied to different culinary institutes while the short order cooks trained her on their greasy grills. When she was accepted to a school in New York, she packed up her life and took the bus in, colliding with a snotty redhead who'd cursed her own for knocking over all the pastries she'd been carrying. Before they could scrap, the girl's grandmother appeared and chastised them both. Ruby and Granny, seeing a gangly twenty-year old fresh off the bus from Boston with a box and a gym back took her in, no questions asked.

Emma trusted them inherently and worked hard to keep everything she had. She new she was Regina's polar opposite and that's what made her crazy. She didn't know why she cared so much about what Regina thought about her, especially considering that Regina had made it clear that she didn't plan on making things easy for her. She had been nice to her in the beginning, even going so far as to ask her to work on Labor Day for a party that both of them knew was an all or nothing kind of affair. Regina reminded Emma of everything she could've had, that she would've loved to have but didn't; Regina reminded Emma of everything she'd lost. Maybe this entire undertaking was the thing that would make them both grateful for the things they'd gone through and survived.

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Regina emerged topside, her phone immediately vibrating in her pocket as she walked the three blocks from the station towards the townhouse on the Upper East Side. There was plenty of traffic for the hour, the weather bringing everyone out of the deep winter reverie; the air smelled of blooming flowers, fresh and clean, perfuming the usually muggy streets of New York. The last night air felt good against her face as she walked home, hands tucked into her blazer pockets. She had her hand wrapped around her keys, her small Moleskine bumping against her knuckles as she walked. She jogged up the steps and let herself, switching on the hallway light and slipping her flats off. Locking up for the night, she padded towards the kitchen for a glass of water, thumbing through her phone.

_One voicemail message._

She grabbed a glass from the cabinet with one hand and put the phone on speaker with the other, placing it on the counter and pressed the icon to listen while rummaging through the refrigerator for the water pitcher. Emma's voice filled the darkened kitchen, a hint of remorse in her tone. Regina stopped pouring the water to listen to the message, hearing the deeper meaning in it. She stood in the dark kitchen, listening to the sounds of the city outside, the illuminated screen like a beacon on the counter. She downed the water and poured out another glass, tucked the pitcher back in the fridge and hip checked it closed. She took the phone, tucking it into her back pocket, debating which method of communication best suited her reply.

Regina showered, changed and slid under the cool bed sheets, her phone sitting on her nightstand next to her glass of water. It'd been quite some time since she'd been out on the town, even if it was a business meeting. Since having Henry, Regina happily settled herself to being a homebody and many a meeting didn't go past a certain time as per her request. She had always wished she'd spent more time out, she spent her academic years in the library, working or studying, despite Katherine's best efforts to drag her out and socialize. She'd met Daniel at one of Katherine's parties. He'd been invited by someone else and only tagged along to serve as designated driver. They spent the rest of the evening talking about everything, no matter how mundane until sunrise, when Katherine and Daniel's friend emerged from the rooftop after smoking way too much pot and suffering from the munchies. They exchanged information and even though she'd thought she wouldn't, she called him. Being around him was as easy as breathing and like most things it culminated in one intimate night.

Regina was pregnant.

Panicked, she'd gone through every mental option she had, resolving that at twenty years old, she could handle the responsibility of a child. It was going to be difficult but she was going to manage it. Her parents were hesitant at first, knowing little to nothing about the man who'd appeared in Regina's life. Daniel spent his energy determined to prove he wasn't trying to take Regina for her trust fund and one night, while driving into the city from The Bronx, he was killed.

Regina was six months pregnant and almost lost Henry that same night with grief.

After that, she had a hard time trusting anyone or being around people. She didn't want to get close to anyone, fearing they would be taken away from her or want more than what she had to offer. She'd had a few heated dalliances with a firefighter named Graham Hunt but feared the worst every time he left for work. She broke it off before it became too serious.

For some reason, that message from Emma drudged up all of these mixed emotions. Emma, who'd damaged her reputation was _concerned_ for her and despite Regina's meltdown, called to make sure she was alright. She wanted to trust her again; once upon a time she had, but she'd been betrayed and she was having a hard time shaking that feeling. Deep in her mind, she knew it wasn't _just_ Emma who was responsible for that night but it's always easier to blame someone else for the things that happen. She sighed and reached for the phone, holding it like it was a live snake, her thumbs hovering over Emma's entry on her phone; she was saved as _That One._ She pressed text icon, assuming she was probably asleep, her thumbs hovering over the keypad. Groaning, she pressed the phone icon and held the phone to her ear.

_"Hey you've got my voicemail, so, leave something."_

"Thank you for the concern Ms. Swan." She paused, hearing the way it sounded to her own ears, she could hear the condescending tone Emma hated. "Emma. I'm home. Have a good night." She hung up and put the phone back on the nightstand, settling under the covers and falling into an uneasy sleep.

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_The Hamptons 2011_

_Emma gave a tightlipped nod, rubbing her palms together. "We'll get through this. I'm pretty sure there are still enough people still here to work through the rest of the evening and clean up." _

_Regina nodded, rubbing her own palms against the tops of her thighs, eyes drawn towards Katherine who'd gone rigid while on the phone. They made eye contact and Katherine gave a slight nod, eyebrows raised with interest. She hung up and approached the two women, clutching her phone._

_"Well it would seem that both Jeffery and Arthur disapprove of your leadership skills and have decided to take their leave early this evening."_

_"Obviously." _

_Katherine made a face. "They're gone, took the truck out to the train station where it is parked and locked up in case anyone wants to retrieve it."_

_"I can get it." Emma offered, fingers already undoing the buttons to her work jacket. "Shouldn't take too long. Where's the truck?"_

_"Northport." Katherine replied. _

_"Oh." Emma replied. "They were serious."_

_"That's not too far is it?"_

_"Not really...I can get there and back in an hour." She slipped her jacket off and patted her back pocket for the keys. _

_"An hour?" Regina looked at her watch. "Who's going to drive the other car back?"_

_"I'll get Eddie. Unless you want to come with me."_

_Regina paled. "No, I'll stay here. Katherine and I will start overseeing the close out and you can take Eddie. Emma, try to be discreet with this will you?"_

_Emma gave Regina a two-finger salute. "Not a problem."_

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Emma groaned as she snuggled her pillow, her alarm going off for the third time. She reached out toward her nightstand, reaching for the snooze button and successfully knocking the whole alarm clock from its perch. Her phone tumbled somewhere underneath the nightstand with a thump. "Really?" she muttered, looking over the edge of the bed at the still shrieking alarm. Squinting, she pressed the button to shut it off and face planted back into her pillow. Her mouth was dry and she felt a little foggy as she dozed off again. She'd had four whiskey gingers, something that usually didn't knock her on her ass but she found herself feeling a little remorseful this morning. She pushed up and out of bed, bleary eyed and slightly hungover, heading toward the bathroom.

She recalled the night before clearly enough. She'd bet Regina that she couldn't out cook her. She had no idea what it was going to prove other than both of them were stubborn and would probably end in an awkward stalemate back at square one. She had to laugh, she knew that Regina was dead set on the win but she had a few tricks up her sleeve. She had earned this spot rightfully and she was determined to prove it.

She thankfully smelled coffee, which meant that Ruby was up. Emma waited, listening to the sound of the shower running and groaned. She heard giggling. She turned back and pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms, padding toward the kitchen, grateful that her perpetually horny roommate was nice enough to put out breakfast atleast.

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"How was night one with Xavier?" Regina asked, a cheerful tone belying the fact that she'd spent the morning doing exhaustive research on what passed for young urbanite cuisine these days. She rolled her eyes at vegan raw menus, deciding that if she was going to serve tree bark, she'd atleast have the decency to not charge people for it. She'd made a separate tab for organic as it seemed to yield mixed success rates and some of the plates seemed fairly easy to handle, especially for Henry. "Did you get any sleep?"

"Yeah. We didn't stay up too late."

"What's _too late?"_

"Two thirty." He replied sheepishly. "Mom, I'm fourteen…"

Regina almost dropped her phone. "Henry?! Are you kidding me?! What could the two of you _possibly_ do until 2:30 in the morning?" she asked incredulously. "What time did you get to bed?"

"Netflix. We finished two movies back to back and we went to sleep as soon as the movie finished."

"What'd you watch? Titanic twice?"

"No. Just some action movies."

"Henry, you know how I feel about you watching those movies…" Regina warned, pouring hot water from the kettle into a waiting mug, shaking her head with disbelief.

"Titanic has nudity mom. It wasn't that bad. Promise."

Regina rolled her eyes skyward, letting out an exasperated sigh. She hated when he played the age card. "What's the plan for today?"

"Oh, I don't know. I think we're just going to hang out. His mom said we can go to the movies if we wanted."

"No action movies."

"There's really nothing good out mom." Henry jibbed. "What did you do?"

"Well. I had that meeting with the partners."

"Oh cool. What happened?"

"Well, I have a special mission." She hoped the conspiratorial tone in her voice would entice him. She dreaded thinking about Henry's age cutting into their bond.

"No way. What do you have to do?"

"Well. I was challenged by one of the partners to a cook off. The winner gets the loser's special secret recipe and put together the menu for the new restaurant. I may be in need expert tastebuds in the kitchen. Know anyone who'd be interested?"

"As long as it's not something weird and unpronounceable, I'm in!" Henry replied. She could picture the mischievous smile that on his face. "We can call it Operation Knife Fight."

"Oh I _like_ that one." Regina smiled. "Knife fight it is."

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Lacey stuck her head out of the bathroom first, Ruby giggling behind her, kissing her still damp shoulder. Both were wrapped up in towels and had spent the better part of ten minutes debating on the best way to sneak back into Ruby's room to change without making Emma uncomfortable. "I think your roomie is up." she whispered, trying to back into the misty bathroom while Ruby pushed her forward.

"She knows you're here, stop being such a baby." Ruby teased, giving Lacey a playful swat to her rear.

"There had better be hot water!" Emma exclaimed from her perch on the makeshift breakfast nook, a nearly bowl of cereal in front of her.

"There's plenty. I saved it by showering with Lacey!" Ruby called back, shoving the brunette into the bedroom and closing the door.

"Savage." Emma mumbled to herself with a shake of her head, shoveling more cereal into her mouth and flipping through an old copy of Cosmo magazine. She poured out a second bowl, drowning the cornflakes in milk when Ruby emerged clad in rolled up sweatpants and a shirt her hair still wet as she scrubbed at it with a towel. Lacey sheepishly followed behind, wearing one of Ruby's roller derby shirts and baggy sweatpants. She'd wrapped her towel around her head and gave Emma a shy wave. "Morning."

"Morning yourself, tiger." Ruby teased, opening up the cabinet to pull out two bowls. "You got in late." She slid a bowl over toward Lacey, dropping a spoon in with a wink.

Emma shrugged, pushing the box into the middle of the table, watching the two of them flirting all over again. "Yeah, meeting ran long."

"Oh that's right! You had that big investors meeting last night. Guess it went well?" Ruby asked, opening the fridge and pulling out the gallon of milk she bought last night. She slid into the chair next to Lacey, pulling the girl's legs into her lap while she poured out her cereal.

"Yeah." Emma shrugged again. "We're pretty much set."

"Em." Ruby pressed, eyes wide. "Spill."

"Well." Emma shifted in her chair, stirring her spoon in what was left of her milk. "First thing is that I'm working half the time at the restaurant, I'll be training my replacement and then once Rupert gives the go-ahead, I'm full time working on this."

"No way. Who's your replacement?"

"Neal Cassidy."

"Shut up."

Emma nodded. "He starts on Monday."

"Oh, that fast eh?" Ruby asked around a mouthful of cereal. "What about the meeting though? Are you getting paid?"

"Yeah."

Ruby sat back in her chair, chewing and massaging Lacey's calves thoughtfully. "And what about she who must not be named?"

"She's general manager."

"And you are?"

Emma blushed. That part hadn't fully sunken in. "Executive Chef."

"Shut. Up. You're kidding!"

" No. We did the contracts and all that. I have to set up my meeting with the lawyer to finalize and…I'm an executive chef for some restaurant that doesn't have a name or a menu but looks really really good on paper." Emma said with a sheepish grin. "So. That's what my summer is going to look like."

"Emma that's amazing. You see and you kept saying you weren't going to do it."

"Erm, what do you mean doesn't have a menu?" asked Lacey shyly.

"Well, my…partner and I can't really decide on what kind of menu we'll have. I mean, we'll have one, it's just that there's a lot happening at once." said Emma.

"You and your girlfriend are bickering over that?"

Ruby and Emma burst into hysterical laughter. Lacey's eyes bounced between the two of them as though they'd gone insane. "What?"

"Regina is Emma's _business_ partner." Ruby guffawed. "They hate each other." She was coming down from her giggle high, leaning over and kissing Lacey's cheek. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh at that."

Lacey shook her head, nudging Ruby with her shoulder. "Back to my original question. Why can't you guys agree and why are you even working together if hate each other? Doesn't that completely defeat the purpose of even being excited about this whole thing? Even though, I'm super excited for you, it's all Ruby's been talking about."

Emma's eyebrows reached her hairline. "I like her. Keep her."

"I plan to." Ruby said with a dreamy sigh, resting her head on Lacey's shoulder. "So, answer the lady."

"Something happened between us a long time ago. In any case, it's too good a chance to pass up so I took it. We're going to make it work it's just that she has to learn to trust me and I have to keep her from spiraling out of control."

"I get it. You're the nice one, she's the evil one but somehow still means well." Lacey said with an understanding nod. "You're Harry Potter, she's Draco Malfoy."

"Yes! Exactly."

"She's still a Potterholic." Ruby deadpanned.

"Please keep her." Emma pleaded. "I missed her."

"She's very persuasive." Lacey said with a wink. "So. The menu. What are you going to do about that?"

"Well. It might have been the booze talking but…I challenged Regina to a cookoff. Winner gets control of the menu and the loser's secret recipe."

"Seriously? Why would you do that? You don't have a secret recipe."

"Well, I bet it like I did and I intend to win so, there's that."

"Emma, you're the _executive chef._ You're the one who _makes_ the menu."

"General manager still oversees it and can make changes, Rubes, you know that."

"Are you a good cook?" Lacey asked with interest.

"She made tofu once that I swear on everything wasn't tofu it tasted that good." Ruby said before downing the rest of her cereal. "Mindblowing." She chewed for a moment before continuing. "I'm telling you Emma, you might have bitten off more than you can chew with that. Tell me there are rules."

"We have to pick from three types of appetizer, entrée and a master dessert. Since we're leaning towards an elegant bar kind of atmosphere, we're using inspiration from nearby bars and restaurants to design the menu. Everything else is pretty much fair game."

"Oh I get it! Like a taste test of everything in the neighborhood but with your own unique spin. That's clever, I like it." said Lacey. "SO when is the taste test?"

"That's the part we're trying to figure out honestly. I think we agreed to do it in two weeks, so I'll need a test kitchen."

"Oh my God! Use Granny's! She'll love it."

"Is your gran into hipster cuisine?" Lacey asked, her head cocked in amusement.

"Knowing Emma it won't be hipster cuisine. My Gran is in the hipster pocket. Everyone loves her and loves the place. It's small, perfect and the back has plenty of room for the both of you. Besides, if Gold has final say, I want him to see how well Gran is doing." Ruby replied, her eyes bright with excitement. "C'mon Emma, say yes."

Emma couldn't say no. She had two weeks to figure out what she was making, work Neal into the day to day and find a place for this throwdown, having Granny's kitchen for an afternoon would take some of the load off her shoulders. "Alright."

"YES!" Ruby crowed. "It's going to be so awesome. Oh my God, we could make it an event or something! Lacey, you know foodies right?"

Lacey nodded. "We could do a little something, yeah."

"Thanks guys." Emma said with a chuckle. "Now all I have to do is figure out what I'm going to make."


	10. Hold The Wall

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Thanks for taking the time to read this. The feedback has been insane and hopefully, I'll be able to deliver. I know it's that annoying slow burn and there is angst, all the things that typically suck to read but that's the fun with world building. I promise there is payoff. Sorry it's taken so long, I've actually been spending time in the places described.

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Emma spent all of Sunday working in Granny's kitchen, whipping up cakes, pies and the macaroons that always seemed to sell out. She'd have to whip up another batch and ship them over by Thursday. Ruby was practically jumping out of her skin as she explained everything to Gran while Emma showed Lacey how to pipe out frosting onto the cakes she was finishing. Granny agreed to let the girls have the kitchen, provided Ruby could deliver on her promise to pack the space. Emma kept her head low, working until she felt like she was going to have plumes of flour following her everywhere. Sunday night, she spent curled up in bed reading old Julia Child's cookbooks and making notes.

Monday came too fast.

She was expected in early to meet Neal and show him around. He was going to shadow her schedule for the week, meaning that she would work the weekend and have Wednesday off to meet with David in Queens. She cursed under her breath. She had to remind herself to remind Regina. She tucked her headphones into the pocket of her jacket as she slid into the employee's area, crashing right into Neal Cassidy.

"Oh, whoa, hey sorry." He said, an easy smile crossing his face. "You okay?" he held Emma's elbow as she regained her balance.

"Yeah. I'm good." Emma replied, smoothly shaking his grip and straightening out.

"You must be Emma Swan. Neal Cassidy." He stuck out his right hand, his eyes discreetly roaming her frame. "Nice to meet you formally."

"I know." Emma replied, taking his hand and shaking. "Nice to meet you too."

"You don't really mean that, but, 'preciate the effort." He grinned. "Hope you don't mind, I got here a little early, took a walk around with Killian over there." He pointed with his chin, his hands on his hips as he looked towards the backdoor leading into the kitchen corridor. "Nice guy."

Emma trudged to her locker, eyes rolling in her head opening it and shoving her jacket and bag in. She kept her t-shirt on and slipped on her work coat, leaving it open as she swapped out of her boots into Crocs. "Yeah, in small doses."

Neal chuckled, rubbing his stubbled chin. "He said you'd say that."

"Bonded talking about me did you? That's good to know."

"Well, I wanted to know what he thought of you, you know, see what I'm stepping into." He plopped into a nearby chair and propped his sneaker clad feet up on the opposite chair. He wore faded jeans and a black t-shirt that had the odd bleach stains on it. He looked like he'd slept in his outfit for atleast a day and a half and if Emma was going to be honest with herself, he wasn't bad looking. _Ugh. I have a type._

"What'd he tell you?" Emma asked, fixing the collar of her jacket and facing him.

"He said, 'Emma Swan is the best at what she does and you're a lucky bloke to work with her.' Convincing right?" Neal with replied with a mock English accent and a smirk. "Is he for real with that accent? I'm pretty sure if I watch enough _Downton Abbey_, I can pick it up too." He giggled to himself. "Also said you had some choice words about me. Something about my being a smug cake boy, it sounded funnier when Mary Poppins said it."

Emma's eyes went wide with surprise. She didn't think Killian would throw her under the bus. "I might've said arrogant cake boy."

"I'll have you know, I make delicious cheesecake and other pastries." Neal countered, a schoolboy grin on his face, the corners of his eyes crinkling with mirth. "You'd be lucky to have a piece of my cake."

"You got lucky on a reality show, don't get snobby about it." Emma shot back, nudging his sneaker with the toe of her Croc.

"Fair enough. You'll see." Neal conceded, his hands up in mock surrender. "No but really, he had nothing but good things to say about you." The left side of his mouth pulled into a crooked grin. "Said you're amazing."

Emma couldn't help the blush that crept up along her cheeks. She tied her hair back into a bun and slipped her hands into the pockets of her jacket, regarding him as he slipped on a black chef's jacket. It dawned on her that this must be what Regina felt about seeing her after all this time; this young gun stalking around taking what's hers. She shook her head as if dismissing the thought she wasn't like Regina at all. Neal's presence was going to make her a better chef. She didn't have to like his stepping into her turf but she could tolerate his sense of humor. "He's for real about that accent." She said. "And you don't strike me as a _Downton Abbey _type."

"Oh?" Neal stood up, eyebrows raised in amusement. "What type am I?"

"I'll figure it out." Emma replied. "Let me show you the fun stuff."

Neal was a quick study. His time with Killian helped familiarize him with the layout of the kitchen and made it a little easier for the two of them to work on the seasonal desserts menu. Emma showed him the standard treats and they discussed subtly altering some of her recipes as they worked. She was hoping to have him transition into her role so that she could tail Killian around and work on her own menu for her match up against Regina. She took mental notes, watching how he practically flew around the kitchen, pulling simple syrups out and lining them up alongside some of the liquor that was stored in the back. He cut a small piece of cheesecake, plating it and winking at her as he worked. Emma's brows knit with confusion as she watched him mix the syrup, a shot of vodka and blend it with some pureed berries. He generously drizzled the concoction onto the slice "Here, try this." He took the spoon and held it out to Emma's mouth. She took it and fed herself, avoiding his gaze. "What'd you think?"

"I don't know if I'd use a regular vodka…" she said, her mouth full of berries and liquor. "but it's different."

"Well the syrup is supposed to hide the booze or enhance it depending on how much you put in. I'm still working on that part. I like to blend the whole thing in together into a puree, pipe it onto the cheesecake or I just make big bowls of the stuff and dump em on as requested. I like to make the cheesecakes with a little bit of an added kick for the after work crowd." He watched Emma's expression with mild amusement. "And the ones with liquor will be separated from the ones without." He couldn't help a giggle as Emma dug in again. "See, not bad for a cake boy eh?"

10 10 10

Regina was going through paperwork when Katherine walked in. She was spending the day at Roosevelt, reading through old papers comparing the equipment that needed to be purchased on Wednesday with what was in the building. She wanted to make sure she was going to be able to build out the ideal kitchen and remain within their budget. She'd kept meticulous paperwork, detailed notes and multiple photocopies of purchases to make sure everything was as it should be. The last kitchen she'd built was Roosevelt's, where they'd switched out two ovens and brought in a raw bar prep station; she'd kept it under budget and retrofitted the kitchen with state of the art equipment. In her research, she found an old notebook filled with recipes the previous general manager had collected from exec chefs over the years. One of the recipes mentioned ensuring that there was fresh wood used for every use of the wood-burning stove. That one made her chuckle. "Kitchen technology has evolved…" she said dryly. "By the way, that oven is due for a clean up." She pointed toward the offending oven with the end of her pencil.

"Noted." Katherine replied, jotting it down into her notebook. "I thought you had things going on."

Regina looked up over the edge of her glasses. "What do you think I'm doing here?"

Katherine shrugged, looking around the room as though a clue would appear. "Trying to make sure I haven't destroyed your illustrious reputation."

"Care to try again?"

"You're digging around the stacks, what else am I supposed to think?"

Regina leaned back in the seat, taking her glasses off and folding her hands in her lap. "I need to research. And I wanted to clear my head."

"So you immediately hole up in here?" Katherine took a seat, dumping her notebook onto the desktop and studying Regina. "You have a messed up definition of relaxation."

"I found Clive's old notebook. I'm borrowing it, hope you don't mind." Regina waved it for emphasis.

"What're you going to do with that?"

"I need inspiration."

"For? The menu is perfectly fine…" Katherine stopped, her eyes narrowed for a moment before widening with realization. "Swan suggested something insane."

"Yes."

"I'll get you the book Mike is using, you'll love it."

10 10 10 10

Regina checked her watch again, taking the glass of water offered to her by the brunette wearing sinfully tight black pants and a white dress shirt that was two buttons shy of obscene. "Is Mr. Gold in?" she asked as the server tried to slink away.

"Yeah…uh…yes."

"Well. Would you go get him?" Regina said, her eyebrows raised in a 'it should have been done yesterday' way.

"Sure."

Neal was busy folding over dough for what he called chocolate bites when Ruby burst in, her eyes wide with panic. "She's here."

Emma looked up from the station where she and Killian were cubing beef. "Who is."

"Regina."

"Oh. Crap." Emma replied, wiping her hands on her apron, then thinking the better of it, washing her hands in the sink and drying her hands before approaching front Ruby, panic in her eyes. "What is she doing here?"

"Asking for Mr. Gold."

"Well, are you going to get him?" Emma asked, peering out of porthole into the restaurant proper, spotting Regina in the VIP area, sipping on a glass of water.

"Jeeze, you sound just like her. I'm getting him, I'm getting him." Ruby headed up towards Gold's office, shaking her head in disbelief.

Killian saddled up next to Emma, looking through the other porthole. "Hate to be you mate."

"She's not here for me." Emma replied, trying to swallow anxiety. "Atleast, I don't think she is." She nearly ducked away from the window as Regina's eyes swept along the restaurant floor, casually sipping water, her phone in her other hand.

"Well, she's here for _something_…" said Killian with a tight lipped smile.

"She's here for an announcement." Rupert said, startling both chefs. "And I hope you two are ready for the dinner rush." He pushed past them and headed toward Regina, the double doors swinging in his wake.

Ruby stood behind Emma and leaned closer to her. "I tried to warn you."

"You did not." Emma grumbled, running her sweaty palms along her jacket front. Emma watched Killian as he continued to monitor the situation at the table. "Oy, Ruby, go out there and see if they need anything."

"Oy, go yourself." Ruby shot back with a mock accent.

"I'll go." Emma had her right hand up ready to push her way out.

"No." Killian and Ruby exclaimed in unison.

"Oh thank God." Emma exhaled. "Okay, let's just…wait. Killian, we were cubing and stuff."

"Right…" Killian nodded. "Alright you lot, nothing to see here, get back to work!" he waved off two more kitchen staff and a curious Neal before heading back to the station he and Emma had been working on.

After a few moments, Rupert entered the kitchen with Regina close behind. He nodded towards the staff still awkwardly grouped by the doors, a stiff smile on his face. Regina's eyes immediately landed on a familiar face as she stood awkwardly by the prep station, her hands stuffed into the pockets of her jacket. They held eyes for a moment, the heat of the kitchen making Emma's usually pale cheeks pink.

"May I have a moment of your time." said Rupert of the din of a post lunch kitchen. "Everybody, I have an announcement to make." Save for the sizzling of the grill, the kitchen fell silent as everyone turned toward the center most part of the space, eyes on Rupert as he held court. "As you know, I have been actively conducting interviews for a new restaurant that and if you had no idea, then I'm opening a restaurant and you're still employed at this one." The corner of his mouth tugged into a small smile at his joke. "Some of you more _astute_ members of the staff may have noticed the woman standing next to me. Many of you may have been victim to her charms. Allow me to formally introduce you to one of my top general managers and executive chef of Statler Grill on Park Avenue Ms. Regina Mills." A smattering of applause and mumbled hellos greeted Regina as her eyes met with Emma's, holding the gaze until Rupert's voice interrupted their visual sparring. "Ms. Mills will be taking over the space in downtown Manhattan with our head patisserie Ms. Emma Swan." The kitchen erupted into applause and a few hoots as Emma's face turned hot pink. "So it is with great sadness that I announce that Emma will be leaving us this summer to begin her new life as an executive chef. In the meantime, I'd like to introduce you to our new patisserie Mr. Neal Cassidy." The kitchen's response was polite applause and a few playful boos. "Now, I trust you will all remain as tightly knit as you are, professional and above all, responsible to your collective duties in this restaurant. Please return to your stations and let's have another fantastic evening at Dolce."

Emma and Regina exchanged awkward looks as everyone swarmed her to congratulate her. Rupert pushed the door outward, holding it for Regina, his free arm waving her along before giving Emma a nod and exiting the kitchen.

10 10 10 10 10

Henry let himself in and closed his eyes, nose in the air, inhaling deeply dropping his backpack with an audible thud. "Mom." He said, locking the door and winding down the hallway towards the kitchen. "What is that smell?"

Regina popped up from the oven, clutching a tray with baked stuffed chicken. She hip checked the door closed and placed it onto the cooling rack on the cooking island. "That would be rosemary, sage, garlic, lemon, a little bit of pepper on baked chicken breast stuffed with fresh mozzarella cheese."

"Oh my God…"

"Good or bad?" Regina's eyebrows furrowed with worry.

"Good. Really. Really. Real. Good. Is this one of those weird things you have to make for work or something?"

"Or something." Regina replied, a genuine smile crossing her face. "You can help me on the mashed potatoes if you wash your hands."

Henry disappeared, his sneakers thudding against the hardwood floor as he jogged to the bathroom.

"DON'T FORGET TO PICK YOUR THINGS UP FROM THE FRONT DOOR!" Regina called, smiling at the sound of the sneakers pounding back toward the door, then upstairs toward his bedroom.

Regina was amazed with his budding skills in the kitchen, watching Henry as he mashed the potatoes, skin still on them, adding bacon, cheese, salt, pepper, milk and butter. His forehead was creased with effort as he stirred, dipped his pinky into the potatoes, tasted and continued. "Almost done!" he called to Regina, who'd stepped into the den to make a few phone calls. She walked back into the kitchen, amazed at the work he'd done; he'd plated the chicken and vegetables and was in the process of spooning out the freshly made potatoes.

"Well well my sous chef, you've done quite the job."

"Soup chef?" Henry asked, heaping a serious serving of loaded potatoes onto his plate.

"Sous chef. It's assistant chef."

Henry nodded with interest as he returned the pot back to the range, took both the plates, rounded the island and headed towards the breakfast nook. "Does this count towards Operation Knife Fight?" he asked, placing Regina's plate onto the table top.

"Of course it does."

10 10 10 10 10

It was early for a Wednesday, not early enough to still to be in the middle of traffic but here they were, stuck in a middle of a traffic jam in Emma's yellow bug, the driver's eyes shielded by surprisingly stylish aviator sunglasses, her left arm braced on the window, fingers pressed to her forehead, her right hand gripping the lower part of the steering wheel. Emma offered to drive since she'd managed to wrestle the keys of the beat up yellow Volkswagen bug away from Ruby who'd absconded with them to take Lacey up on a trip to her grandmother's farmhouse upstate. Regina agreed to the ride, provided Emma could prove that she had a license and functional seatbelts. Satisfied, she climbed into the passenger seat, impressed with how neat and tidy the car was. Her Benz was in the shop, being fitted for new tires and having a full transmission tune up. As much as she loved the car, the maintenance on the thing was killer. She was glad Emma brought breakfast and surprised that the donut she'd thoughtfully packed was apple, that gratitude became genuine surprise when Emma said she'd made them that morning.

"Still trying to get my recipe I see." said Regina, pulling the still slightly warm donut apart, inhaling the rich caramel, cinnamon and apple scent. She hated to admit she was somewhat impressed with the effort.

"Any means necessary." Emma joked as traffic miraculously cleared up and they eased onto the expressway bound for Queens.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry about the other night…" Emma said. "I…I know this isn't ideal but…I think we both want the same thing."

"That is?" Regina asked coolly, taking a bite of the donut before glancing over to Emma. _This is really quite good._

"A successful business venture." Emma shrugged, eyes still on the road as she followed David's pick up.

Regina nodded, lips pursed in thought. "Some of us have worked for it."

Emma flexed her fingers on the steering wheel, her knuckles popping as she tightened her grip. She didn't want a retread of that conversation. "Like I said, I'm sorry for what happened. How do you like the donut?"

Regina took another bite, chewing as she stared out of the passenger window. "It's passable."

"Passable." Emma chuckled. "I'll take the compliment.

Regina made a face as they pulled up to the warehouse behind David's pick up truck. The warehouse was a large massive piece of building near Hunters Point in Queens, stuck in the borough's massive warehouse and storage district. The east side of Manhattan glittered just across the East River, traffic roaming easily along the FDR. She was disappointed, half expecting to trek across the borough to wander around a massive storage facility staring at kitchen equipment all day. Instead, she watched as Emma expertly pulled into the space next to David's pick up, turned the car off and gave her a small smile.

"You have arrived at your destination." Emma said, mimicking the robotic tone of a GPS device.

"Stick to baking." Regina replied, opening her door and sliding out of the car.

Emma let out a low whistle. "Tough crowd."

Regina successfully negotiated several large pieces of equipment, their same day delivery following the arrival of their truck, a team to come in and retrofit a walk in freezer, lifetime maintenance and upkeep to be provided by the company or a licensed vetted inspector yearly. Harvey, the warehouse owner, was ready for a rebuttal but found that words failed him once Regina's eyes narrowed and she leaned on the counter, a nearly murderous glare in her eyes. After spending three hours, filling out multiple forms and serious negotiation that made Emma shake in her boots, Regina casually sauntered out of the warehouse and stood by the bug, leaning against the passenger door of the bug, checking her phone. David and Emma walked out slowly side by side in a state of shock.

"I had no idea she…" David stammered, his right hand pressed to the back of his head in disbelief. "That was…"

"Yeah…That's what I've been dealing with."

"You're tough." David replied in disbelief. "I've gotta make sure that Harvey doesn't hate me…Think you guys can get back to the city okay?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine. Go make nice with him, we're gonna be lifelong pals."

David shook his head again before turning and jogging back to the warehouse.

Emma made her way toward the car, keys jangling in her hand as she replayed the entire scene in her head. Regina's posture changed when she was in a position of power, making her seem bigger and tougher; it was intimidating but at the same time it made Emma want to be better, stronger, braver. "Well, that was impressive."

Regina looked up from her phone, tucking it into her pocket as Emma opened the passenger door for her, her cheeks turning red at the simple act of chivalry. "Was it?"

"Well, for one thing," Emma said, sliding into the drivers seat and turning the car on. "You may have traumatized one of David's lifelong business partners."

"And the other?"

"You're really scary."

10 10 10 10 10

_The Hamptons 2011 _

_ Regina did her best to avoid any incidents as she worked on packing the kitchen, sending Katherine out to speak to the remaining staff that was part of the clean up. Many had already snuck off following Katherine's stern dismissal and promise that the checks would be in the mail. She made a note in her book about who remained and who would be contacted for the next event. Regina was busy packing when the homeowner, a music mogul, walked out with her, animatedly chatting away about how much fun the event had been and how he looked forward to the next party._

_They spoke, Regina registering every other word before the sight of bright red taillights relieved the mounting anxiety. Emma backed the truck up slowly, the high pitched beep beep bringing Regina towards the back, a look of relief washing across her face. They caught eyes in the driver's mirror, the look of relief that crossed Regina's face making Emma smirk. She had unbuttoned her work jacket, a black shirt underneath, a box filled with supplies in her hands. Emma parked, shut the truck off and climbed out. She waved Eddie into the spot alongside her truck, closing her fist high with a grin. "Hey Ed, go and help the guys out in the back." She turned, the grin still on her face. _

_The mogul bid Regina a good night, returning to his cleaned out kitchen to enjoy leftovers. _

_"As promised." She took the box from Regina's grip with a nod. "Neat and discreet."_

_ "Thank you Ms. Swan…Emma…" Regina replied with gratitude. "I assume everything in the truck is as it should be?"_

_"Yup. The tank wasn't bad either."_

_ "That's oddly reassuring." Regina replied, the corner of her mouth pulled into a small smile._

_"Then I'll start loading things in." Emma said with a shrug, turning on her heel and loading the box into the back. _

_ "How was your quest to conquer the world one pig in the blanket at a time?" Emma asked, as she opened the truck doors, sliding the box inside. _

_"I'd hardly call it a quest."_

_"So, you did have pigs in a blanket?"_

_"There were no pigs in a blanket. They were wrapped sausage bites with mango chutney sauce, most definitely not a pig in a blanket."_

_Emma's eyes lit up. "Oh wow, was that a joke?" _

_Regina rolled her eyes, handing over another box to Emma. "And to answer your question, there was no quest."_

_"But you're the one who said this was a networking gold mine."_

_"It is."_

_Emma stopped and wiped at the sweat on her brow with the back of her right arm. "Well? Did you hit pay dirt?"_

_Regina looked up from her struggle with a particularly heavy box with narrow eyes. _

_"You were hiding in the kitchen weren't you? Even after I left?" Emma asked, hopping down and grabbing the other end of the box to lift it up. _

_"Ms. Swan, I hardly think that what I do…"_

_"Alright, you're right. I'm sorry." Emma replied, lifting the lower part of her tank top up to her face and wiping away sweat. Working in the late July humidity was stifling and for a brief moment, Emma entertained the idea of stripping to her underwear and diving into the pool. She envied the party stragglers, the sound of their laughter and splashing only making the work even more soul crushing. "I didn't mean to pry."_

_ "Apology accepted." Regina replied, her eyes roaming Emma's taut stomach with a twinge of jealousy. "I didn't _hide_ in the kitchen. I was working."_

_Emma pushed out her bottom lip with a snort, climbing into the back of the truck to better arrange some of the boxes. _

_They worked in a comfortable silence, Regina careful to avoid knocking anything over as Emma expertly packed everything in. Regina had given Katherine leave for the rest of the evening and as the taillights to her car disappeared down the driveway, Regina deflated and pulled her work jacket off, tossing it into the passenger side of her classic Benz. Eddie left with the first truck, club music blasting from the radio as he pulled out of the driveway. _

_ "He'd better get that thing back in one piece…" said Emma, eyebrows disappearing into her hairline with concern. She turned and let out a giggle at the sight of Regina's concerned expression. "He'll be fine. He's a good driver…only swerved like, twice on the way back here." Regina's face paled. "I'm kidding. He'll call me as soon as he's dropped it off. And I'll call you."_

_ "That's helpful." Regina replied with a shake of her head. She handed Emma the last of the table legs before letting out a heavy sigh. Emma closed the truck doors, locking it up before leaning on the rear bumper, crossing her arms in front of her chest with a sigh. "Thank you for your help today Ms. Swan." said Regina, approaching her car and slipping her arms out of her jacket._

_Emma shrugged. "It's what I was hired to do. Thanks for the pointers in the kitchen earlier." _

_ Regina rolled her eyes. "It wasn't as terrible as you think it is. You're just not as…practiced. Takes time."_

_ "That sounded a lot like a compliment." Emma replied, cocking her head to the side and eyeing Regina as she slipped out of her shoes and into sneakers. "From what I've seen, you don't just hand those out."_

_ "No. I don't." Regina replied curtly, tossing the heels into the backseat along with the jacket. She wore sinfully tight black trousers and a black short sleeve t-shirt. _

_"Nice ride." Emma said with a nod. "1988 Mercedes Benz. Bet it runs like a dream."_

_ Regina nodded. "It does. It was my fathers."_

_"Oh, it was...?" _

_"Ms. Swan." Regina said suddenly, steering the conversation away from small talk to business. "I have an event at the end of the summer, I'm sure you've heard of it, the White Party?"_

_ "Yeah…I've heard of it." Emma replied, caught off guard by the sudden change in Regina's demeanor. A conversation with her could give a person whiplash. "It's a pretty big deal. What's up?"_

_ "Well. I will be handling the festivities for one of the bigger clients farther out on the island and will need staff. If you aren't booked for that weekend, I'd like to bring you on." Regina replied, looking up from her shoelaces. _

_ "Sure. I mean, yes." Emma replied, pushing herself off the back of the truck and crossing towards Regina's car, hands stuffed into the rear pockets of her jeans. "I mean do I need anything specific? Like, all white or something?"_

_ "No, nothing as drastic as that." _

_"Thank God. I was gonna tell you that'll be rough one for me."_

_"I'm sure you'll be fine." Regina reassured, opening the driver's side door and sitting down, stretching her legs out. "What's your specialty?"_

_"My specialty?" Emma asked, suddenly feeling self conscious, she'd never thought about what it is she could do. "What do you mean? Like do I make?"_

_"Yes. Do you have a specific style to which you're comfortable or are you versatile?" _

_"Oh. Well, I'm pretty open to doing anything. I really have fun with cookies and cakes… Unless you're thinking of a more refined menu?"_

_Regina smiled, the brilliance dazzling Emma. "It's an expensive end of the summer barbeque. Most people want to get drunk so we're dialing back a bit on the fancy and upping the…immediate needs."_

_"Got it." Emma replied, a smile on her face. _

_"I will be in contact to give you the details." Regina stood up, dusting her hands together before extending her right hand out to Emma. "Thank you for today."_

_"It's my pleasure." Emma replied, taking a moment to indulge in the softness of her grip this time compared to when they'd first met. _Like silk in with an iron grip._ she thought to herself. "And, I'll call you as soon as I hear from Eddie and this one is dropped off."_

_ "Please do. Good night Ms. Swan."_

_"Good night Regina."_

10 10 10 10

A week had passed and Neal had settled into his role at the restaurant easily enough. Much to Killian's delight, Emma was practically his shadow as he worked, showing her techniques, making schedules and filling out delivery orders. When she was home, she spent her time practicing dicing and preparing small meals for Ruby and frequent guest Lacey, gauging their reactions as they ate. She'd been able to narrow down what she was going to prep and as the days ticked by, she'd become more and more anxious at the thought of having to share the kitchen, alone, with Regina for the first time in a long time. They'd spoken briefly and Regina sounded calm and collected, that cold confidence making Emma doubly nervous as she relayed the information about meeting early at Granny's. Regina replied with a simple, "Fine, I'll see you then."

She let out a sigh, watching Lacey and Ruby lay waste to a short rib she'd made for dinner. "Well, you know, help yourselves…" she grumbled, grabbing a plate and snagging some food. She saddled into her chair, picking the meal apart with her fork, studying the way it fell from the bone, still juicy and tender.

"It's really good. I think this is better than the brisket you made last night."

Ruby said around a mouthful of meat.

"Hmn." Lacey added with a nod. "You may want to avoid more red meat Emma. I don't know how much more I can handle."

"That's what she said." Ruby mumbled, a wicked grin on her face.

"Lovely." Lacey chided, her accent slipping through. "This is delicious Emma, thank you for allowing me to be your flavor guinea pig."

"I'm having meat sweats." said Ruby. "Plus we only have one bathroom."

Emma's eyes went wide. "Wow, Ruby…"

"I have nothing to do with that. I've tried to train her but…can't teach an old dog new tricks…" Lacey replied.

"Careful mi luna…" Ruby warned, "That almost sounded like you called me a very mean word…"

"Never." Lacey said as she kissed Ruby's cheek. "But you can be."

Emma rolled her eyes. Lacey had been spending more free time with Ruby in between work and her graduate classes. She would come home from work and find the two of them snuggling on the couch or combing through the fridge, looking for snacks. It was almost sickening watching the two of them but she was happy for Ruby, she had been heartbroken when they separated. Watching them now made her feel like maybe there was still hope for her. She hated to interrupt their canoodling session but she had a very pressing matter and someone's ass to kick. "So on a scale of one to ten, where are we rating the rib?"

"Ten." They replied in unison.

"The potatoes are a blessing." Ruby added, waving a forkful before shoveling into her mouth.

"So that's another ten. Guys, I really need to nail this down. Regina is coming for me and I know she's going to pull no punches."

"Jeeze Em, you make it sound like she's going come at you with a knife." Ruby replied.

"She might. She's her and I'm me and she's…"

"Gotten under your skin."

"You should've seen her at that warehouse Ruby. It was like…the skies darkened and the earth was going to open up and swallow this guy if she didn't her way."

"Sounds sexy." Lacey chimed in with a casual shrug.

"What? How does that sound sexy?" Ruby exclaimed in shock. "She basically described a super villain."

"Well, Regina is obviously someone who's used to getting things her way. Emma is more of a compromise and work together type, that's really why they're y'know…"

"Why we're what?" Emma asked, genuinely intrigued by this new analysis.

Lacey blushed. "Well. It's why you're so tense around each other. You're total polar opposites. You know that old saying about opposites attracting. Plus, you're stubborn and dig your heels in when things are tough."

Emma's eyes darted between Lacey and Ruby, who tried in vain to avoid her gaze. "You've been psychoanalyzing my situation with Regina?"

"In between making out yes." Ruby replied sheepishly. "I'm sorry Emma, it's just that it's really weird to us,"

"Just you." Lacey corrected, "I get it."

"To _me, _that Gold would shove the two of you together like that, knowing that she kinda hates you."

Emma sighed, rubbing the tines of her fork in the remaining sauce and licking it thoughtfully. _Needs a little Siracha sauce for kick…_ "She doesn't hate me, she just…"

"Has one of the biggest grudges against you. No big deal." Ruby shrugged.

"Why does she have a grudge?" Lacey asked, bracing her forearms on the table, settling in for a story. "It's not like you were a thing…"

Emma leaned back in her chair, the wood creaking under the movement. "I'm gonna need some whiskey for this." She stood up and went to the mini bar.

10 10 10 10 10


	11. Centuries

11 11 11 11

Sorry for making people super hungry with this fic. Thanks for reading it and showing support. I also landed on AO3 (Avery_Chase) so thank you to the kind folks who sent the invite! This is the flashback you've been waiting for, the infamous White Party.

11 11 11 11

_August 2011_

_ Regina checked her reflection in the visor mirror, making sure her lipstick hadn't smudged courtesy of her impromptu make out session with Graham. He'd left shortly after inspecting a massive bonfire planned for nightfall on the beach and they'd 'stumbled' into the shed for two hours. As he drove off, she made her way to the car, a blissful smile on her face despite the heat and the specter of worry that hovered over her; this event needed to on without a hitch. She had parked just behind the one of the events truck in the long driveway, dreading the idea of the driver over estimating their ability to back out of the space without crushing everything in their path. She also couldn't see herself walking farther than necessary in this weather, a heavy blanket of humidity mingling with the chill coming from the water. She hated this time of year; it was always either damp, cold, unseasonably warm, a combination of both or just miserable. It never felt like summer, it always felt like Fall and she always wanted to stay in bed, watch television and eat ice cream; she wasn't the type to admit that out loud but that was the truth._

_Today's weather called for a high of 80, humidity and a chance for rain later on in the evening. _

_ She sat in her car for another moment, wondering why she'd gone through the extra effort to make one apple turnover for the pastry chef who had bailed her out of an awkward situation. She'd gone over it repeatedly in her mind; Emma was a good employee and it would be wise to keep her in her good graces as she worked toward securing another general manager position within Rupert Gold's expanding empire. She was young, ambitious and dedicated to perfecting her craft, if she could pocket the amateur pastry chef, she could make the hiring process for her dream restaurant even easier. She shook out her shoulders, watching the way her hair tumbled about, feathering just under her ears; it was all coming together, she was going to dazzle everyone tonight and be one step closer to her goal. She sighed, pocketing her phone, grabbing her clipboard and a Tupperware she'd packed for Emma and slid out of the car with a grunt._

_ "If there happens to be a bottle of Makers Mark that doesn't make the bar, I wouldn't be upset if it were to appear by some strange miracle in my car." Emma joked as she proceeded to unload another heavy box from the back of the catering truck, trudging her way towards another impeccable kitchen. Tonight's menu called for traditional barbeque classics so the kitchen would be a large prep station where the prepared meat would be carried out to the multiple grills out on the massive patio. Emma would be preparing the ice cream bar and alternative fresh fruits a pastries area; it was sure to be a simple night where all she would do is replenish ice cream tubs, fruits and occasionally restock the cookies. _

_She had no idea who owned the sprawling property, deciding that it was best she didn't know; the idea that the kitchen she was in could easily fit her own several times over depressed her. It was a wide kitchen, a large double door stainless steel fridge was tucked into the wall, a sign that read _OFF LIMITS _taped to it, reminding the staff that while they were in the most important part of the house, they were not to take advantage of it. To the right was a large double sink set into a large slab of expensive marble. In the center of the kitchen was a long island, an electric stove counter top on the far left, the rest of it made up of marble counter space. She pulled on her work jacket, leaving it open as she ran through her checklist of supplies, staff and double-checked the menu. Regina managed to keep it simple but she felt like it needed a little something extra, she just wasn't sure what it was. Eddie bustled by her, a smirk on his face. _

_ "What, you couldn't wait to have another Regina Mills encounter?" he joked, dropping raspberries into row after row of empty champagne flutes._

_ "Nice to see you too Ed." Emma joked, rolling her sleeves up to her elbow. "You couldn't say no either."_

_"This is insane." He replied shaking his head, a bottle of Moët in his hand. "There are _crates_ of this in here tonight."_

_ "That's what happens when they get what they ask for." Emma said, opening up a sealed Tupperware box filled with sugar cookies. "They wanted decadence, excess and tons of sugar."_

_ "It makes no sense though I mean, look at the menu." Eddie replied pointedly, staring longingly at the bottle. "You just don't have burgers with Moët."_

_ "You do when the client asks for it. " Regina slipped into the kitchen, a cool smile on her face, her blazer jacket draped over her left forearm, the Tupperware in her right. She wore a black skirt, white silk tanktop that cut into a dangerous v accentuating her cleavage, a black blazer draped over her right forearm. "There's enough variety to keep them from questioning their choices for the first half of the evening, whatever pairings they decide afterwards is solely their discretion." _

_ Eddie swallowed hard, ducking his head and loading up the flutes onto nearby trays. Emma could hear music coming in through the doorway, something uptempo, the sound dampening as the door swung closed again._

_ "Ms. Swan, nice to see you again." Regina said, ignoring Eddie altogether despite the favor he'd done the same time Emma had, a genuine smile on her face._

_Emma almost swallowed her tongue at the sight of a smiling, playful Regina. It was a sharp contrast from the mercurial woman she'd been around a month and a half ago. "Hey." Emma replied, slipping on gloves and reaching into the Tupperware to pull out some of the pre-prepped pastries packed within. "You look nice." _

_ Regina shrugged, pretending she hadn't heard the compliment, her cheeks blushing nonetheless. "I have something for you." She said, nodding towards the quieter part of the kitchen._

_ Emma followed, removing the gloves again and tossing them into a nearby bin, a curious look on her face as Regina lead her towards the patio where a massive tent had been set up, grills fired up and going, large serving trays filled with cooked meat. She watched as Regina turned shyly, the Tupperware in her hands. "I made this for you, as a thank you for coming in today."_

_ Emma glanced towards the staff on the grills, watching as they prepared the appetizers and early entrees for the guests, oblivious to the two of them standing in the space. "Just me?_

_ "Just you. It's something special."_

_Emma looked down at the proffered Tupperware, her left eyebrow quirked with curiosity. "What is it?"_

_ "Apple turnover."_

_"Apple turnover? What, don't think I'm making anything worth eating tonight?" Emma joked, her eyes narrowed with mock seriousness. "As I recall, you're the one who approved the menu."_

_ "I approved the menu but this is something that I thought you'd appreciate."_

_ "Well, thank you Regina." Emma replied, taking the Tupperware with a sheepish grin. "That was really nice of you."_

_ Regina shrugged, tucking a lock of hair behind her left ear. "Well, don't tell everyone about it."_

_"Right, can't risk losing that tyrannical image." Emma replied._

_Regina rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Yes, well, not all of us have the luxury of hiding in the kitchen." _

_"You know, you could always hide in the kitchen with me. I don't take up much room. I'm sure you can conquer the world another day." Emma offered, opening the Tupperware lid and giving the pastry an appreciative look. "This smells amazing."_

_ "Fresh apples, I'll let you guess the rest."_

_Emma nodded. "Well I've got a few minutes before I have to start making those _snacks_. See you in a bit, yeah?" _

_"Yes." Regina replied, heading towards the rear tent where Katherine was busy checking in the crew and assigning time cards. She could feel Emma's eyes on her shoulders as she walked, trying her best to not turn around. She figured if the bribe worked and Emma stayed out of her way, she could work on finalizing a few things with Rupert. _

_Emma tucked the Tupperware into the crook of her arm, shaking her head in confusion returning to her car and stashing it into the glovebox. She straightened up, tying her hair up into a bun and giving her appearance a quick once over. Regina hadn't given her the 'don't mess this up with your stupidity' speech, so she couldn't help feeling as though she'd managed to slip into Regina's narrow circle of trust. They'd been in constant communication about the way the event was to be run, Regina and Katherine trusting Emma to enforce the rules in the kitchen. On paper, the pastry chef was to answer to the executive chef, a quiet man named Guy but in practice as per Regina, they were respect Emma's word over Guy; "he's just there to knock out meals and make sure things aren't undercooked." She checked her reflection in the mirror adjusted her jacket and headed inside._

_11 11 11 11 11_

_ The kitchen was broiling hot, the air conditioning unit already on the fritz according to the homeowner. Emma wiped at her forehead with her jacket sleeve. Guy had the range going full blast and with so many people piled up on top of each other for the start of the buffet style meal, she might as well have just crawled into the stove where the brisket was going for a break in the heat. _

_ She hadn't seen much of Regina which was good, it meant she was too busy to notice that Emma had given half the staff a break to get water, cool off and prepare for the next wave of clean up and service. On second though, it might not be so good, she may have been losing her mind with the stifling heat. She glanced over towards Guy who was busy seasoning a deep tray filled with burgers; he didn't looked completely unfazed by the heat. Rolling her eyes and focusing on making the tiny tarts in their disposable tins, Emma blew out a gust of air up towards her forehead, enjoying the temporary reprieve. _

_ Katherine slipped into the kitchen, fanning herself, a half finished bottle of water clutched in her left hand. "It's broiling in here."_

_ "Is it bad out there?" Emma asked, eyeing the blonde as she rounded the corner of the island Emma claimed as her workstation. _

_ "The breeze is helping. Thank GOD this woman lives by the shore, they'd all be dead by now." Katherine said by way of reply. She picked up one of the finished wild berry tarts, taking a spoon and helping herself. "I swear Swan, you're like, some kind of snack savant or something."_

_ "Or something…" Emma repeated, adding a topping to another tart and placing it onto a waiting tray. She hadn't seen Eddie in awhile; she hoped he hadn't disappeared somewhere. _

_ "What's the secret?" Katherine asked, having another spoonful and leaning against the far counter, crossing her legs at the ankle. "Serious question."_

_ Emma shrugged. "Well, I like what I do. I'm good at it."_

_ "That's the secret? C'mon…" Katherine popped a blueberry into her mouth appreciating the chill of the berry. _

_ Emma blushed and looked up from her task, gloved fingers covered in berry juice, butter and brown sugar. "You have to be happy about what you're doing, other people appreciate when someone's proud of what they've done, it travels back to them somehow."_

_ Katherine arched her eyebrow; it was a pale imitation of Regina's eyebrow of inquiry. "Go on."_

_ Emma shrugged, "It's transposition. You spread joy with a good meal. They're obviously having a good time, they'll remember that and the really great fruit tart they had."_

_ "Sounds like magic." Katherine replied dreamily, tossing the finished tin into a nearby garbage bin. _

_ "What does?" Regina asked, shedding her blazer and hanging it on the stand up rack that housed cooling racks and tins. She fluffed at the collar of her tank top, cheeks puffed as she breathed out, grunting with the heat. _

_ "Emma's torte."_

_Emma's eyes went wide. She had been hoping to sneak them into without Regina noticing their appearance. _

_ Katherine made a 'don't be ridiculous' face. "The tart she's making, it's magical. Might pick you up." Katherine offered, nodding towards the tray and digging out another plastic spoon. "You'll feel brand new."_

_ Regina's eyes went from Katherine toward Emma who, held out one of the small tins and watched her expectantly. "Yes, well, I suppose I can take a break." She looked around the kitchen, noticing Guy hadn't even turned around; he was in the food prep zone. She dug in, taking a generous spoonful of berries and crumbly topping. Her eyes went wide, the riot of flavor dancing across her tongue as she let it sit for a moment before chewing. She swallowed and ran her tongue along her lower lip, studying Emma for a moment before speaking. "This is quiet good."_

_ Emma shrugged. "Something I made up."_

_"Obviously." Regina replied around another mouthful. "I thought we were keeping it simple with the dessert menu."_

_ "Oh yeah me too but, I thought it needed something punchier you know? I don't think a lot of them went out so…" she reached for the tray, intent on stashing them in the mobile fridge set up outside for the staff. She wished Eddie would come back and bail her out. _

_ "Regina, let her do it. Besides, they haven't even started with the ice cream or whatever you have the poor girl working on." Katherine said with a wink. "I think it'll work with the champagne already in circulation." _

_ Regina nodded, finishing the small tin and discarding it. She took the bottle of water Katherine offered, taking a few sips before handing it back. "Fine, yes, they'll work with the champagne." She fanned herself, taking the wet hand towel she'd been carrying to the back of her neck for some relief. "Of all the days for the heat do decide to come roaring back…"_

_ "Is there someone coming to fix the cooling system in here?" Emma blurted out, fluffing her own jacket, glad for the air moving between her skin and the fabric. _

_ "Someone is coming, I'm not sure when but they'll be here." She looked around the kitchen, nodding towards Guy. "As soon as he's done, send him out for a meal break." _

_ Emma nodded. "Sure…"_

_Regina left, leaving her blazer still hanging from the rack. Katherine followed after a moment. "She gets moody when things don't go absolutely as planned." Katherine shrugged, leaving Emma with a few dozen tarts on the table with another batch to go._

_ "Hey Guy, when you're done with the first round, take a break!" Emma called, knowing he'd heard the whole exchange. _

_The man nodded soundlessly, waving a free hand and continuing his work. _

_11 11 11 11 11_

_ "Regina, this is by far, the best catering event yet. You've truly outdone yourself, weather not withstanding." Rupert said, the small semblance of grin on his face. He had a small plate topped with assorted things and at the center was one of Emma's wildberry tortes. He hadn't dug in yet but Regina felt her heart pick up it's pace at the sight of it. It had been delicious; a cooling mix of fruits and that hand crumbled topping had been a perfect blend of sugar and cinnamon. She was disappointed Emma hadn't mentioned it to her in their dealings. She watched Rupert with interest as he helped himself to a boneless chicken wing, the absurdity of it not lost on either of them. "I'll assume you did what you could with the menu."_

_ "You know I tried but you reach a point where convincing someone they're crazy starts making you crazy." Regina replied, taking a sip of her ice water._

_"Still, my compliments to the chef. It takes a steady hand to not make a complete mess of standard barbeque fare." _

_ "We wanted it to be neat and compact, simple and clean. I'll relay the compliment." Regina replied with a smile, her eyes skimming over the partygoers and her staff, eyeing every detail as best she could from where they stood in the backyard, overlooking the dunes. She'd made sure to hide the speakers discreetly, making sure they were positioned in areas where the sound wouldn't carry too far and the volume tolerable for everyone. Dozens of paper lanterns strung up above their heads. She made sure the citronella candles were discreetly hidden and lit as the sun's rays finally gave way to evening. Christmas lights were strung along overhead, winding around the bannisters of the stairs leading out to a large bonfire the homeowner insisted on starting as soon as possible. She had temporary light stones placed every few feet towards the bonfire, lighting the way along the sand. She was glad she'd called Graham over to the house early to supervise that part of the party; it was his day off and he wasn't planning on spending it providing fire safety for a bunch of spoiled drunks. She hoped the time in the shed had made up for his grumpy demeanor. _

_ "I assume that the bonfire wasn't on the agenda?" Rupert nodded, noticing the way Regina's lip curled at the sight of the fire in the middle of the beach. She hoped Katherine remembered to have the fire department on speed dial. _

_ "Not at all but, as I said, you can't fight crazy." Regina replied with a shrug. _

_Rupert had cleared his plate and was settling in for the torte. _

_ Katherine appeared, a plastic smile plastered to her face. "Regina, a moment please?" _

_ "Excuse me, Rupert." Regina said, taking her leave with Katherine._

_"Air conditioning guy just showed up. He's gotta get into the back area close to where we're cooking."_

_ "This is a joke, right?"_

_"Well, we're far enough away that it shouldn't be a problem but…" _

_"Did you find Meredith to let her know?" _

_Katherine nodded. "She's a little…toasted…so…"_

_"What about her husband? Ian?" Regina asked, her hands balled into fists, fingernails digging into her palms. _

_"I think he's at the bonfire…" _

_Regina rolled her eyes._

_ "I'll get him, you go ahead and talk to the air conditioning guy." Katherine pat Regina's arm and headed out towards the bonfire. _

_"Trouble?" Rupert asked, his face neutral as he took a spoonful of torte._

_"Nothing I can't handle." Regina replied. _

_"That's what I like to hear." _

_"I'll be just a minute." Regina said with a tight lipped smile, walking towards the back of the house, bound for the technician. _

_ "I'm telling you man, it's the intake, you just have to flip it." Emma said shaking her head as the guy in the grimy jumpsuit leaned against the side of the house. "I've flipped those cooling fans before, it's that it's backed up. That's all you have to do."_

_ Regina rounded the house and found Emma, her jacket open a look of frustration on her face as the air conditioning guy cocked his head at her. "How many of these here units you ever fix, honey?" he asked, his brawny arms crossing his chest. "If you could fix it, then what am I doing out here?"_

_ "I called you." Regina said, crossing towards the man, who's name she uninterested in knowing was Randall. "I need this fixed now."_

_ "Are _you_ the home owner?" Randall asked, eyeing Regina eagerly. _

_"No, they're indisposed…at the moment."_

_"Well, I can't do any work unless I have home owners consent." Randall said simply._

_Regina rolled her eyes. "Listen, they're a little busy right now and unless you want to make anything remotely resembling your exorbitantly standard rate, you'll fix this now before I call your immediate supervisor and have your license revoked."_

_ Randall nodded, running his tongue between his teeth and his upper lip, eyeing the piece of machinery at the center of the argument. "Look lady, call him. He's going to tell you the same thing, unless I've got consent, I can't do anything for you or your uhm, shindig."_

_ "What's going on with the fan?" Katherine appeared, Ian in tow, a half melted S'more in his hand. _

_ "Are you the home owner?" Randall asked smugly, using his hands to point towards Ian and Katherine._

_ Ian nodded, licking the melted marshmallow from his fingers. "Yeah, why what's up?"_

_ Randall rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Ian. "You got a faulty wire here, so, it's gonna run you a bit to fix it, can't promise I can fix it while your fancy party is going on either so…"_

_ Ian shrugged, biting into the S'more, marveling at the way the marshmallow became stringy as he pulled away from it. "What do you need from me?"_

_ "Consent forms, notice of work agreement, proof of residence and permission to work for as long as I can _around_ your party." Randall replied, reaching into his tool bag and producing two carbon forms, clicking a pen from his pocket to life. He held them out to Ian who was shoveling the rest of the gooey mess into his mouth, before taking the carbon notebooks from Ian._

_ "How muff iff diss gonn cawf?" he asked, bits of toasted cracker peppering the paperwork._

_ "1,500."_

_"WHAF?" Ian blurted out, a plume of graham cracker spewing from his mouth. "You're kidding me? What do you have to do?!"_

_ Randall's eyebrow arched with feigned concern, eyes darting between Regina, Emma, Ian and Katherine. "Well sir, the whole machine needs to be serviced and seeing that it's late, a weekend …really it's just a matter of adjusting wiring, making sure the other cables in the house aren't as frayed…I'm honestly cutting you a break, considering the situation we're finding ourselves in."_

_ Regina could hear her heart pounding in her hearts, her blood pressure slowly reaching boiling point. She looked at Emma, shook her head with an emphatic no. "What is it that you have to do, specifically?"_

_ Randall cut Regina a look. "That's the homeowner's discretion."_

_"I'm asking on behold of the homeowner who's ready to kill you. So, _Randall, _what is it that you need to do?" _

_ "Mostly, the cables…no telling what is wrong…" Randall replied, still eying the unsigned paperwork._

_ Regina's jaw clenched and unclenched. She could hear the party starting to hit its next level of fun; the main course. No doubt after sunning most of the afternoon, the guests would want to lounge in the house if the grotto was overrun with people. "Emma."_

_ "Yeah?"_

_"What are you doing out here?" Regina asked, hands on her hips as she tried to put out as many fires as she could. She dreaded the idea of Rupert sauntering in and finding one of the chefs out here vexing over a cooling system._

_ "Saw Randall here and he looked a little lost…"Emma replied, pushing off the side of the house and preparing to go back into the kitchen._

_"What is it that you think he's supposed to do?" Regina asked, her mouth souring at the idea of asking Emma to do more than her job required. _

_ "Just flip the fan, the cables and stuff is a whole other project and to be honest, I don't think Ian is gonna want to sign off on that fifteen hundred so…"_

_"And you know this because?" Regina asked pointedly._

_"I've fixed cooling systems before." Emma shrugged, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets, fidgeting under the scrutiny._

_ "This is a little more than some cooling system." Randall protested. "It's a delicate procedure…"_

_ "The vent…when it can't take in air, just does what it can and then it quits on you." She nodded toward the grate the fan in question caked with dirt and grime. "I'd say that it just needs a quick clean up, flip and you've got a working cooling system. Atleast until you need to really get in there and do serious repairs." _

_"What she's talking about is a patch job..." Randall continued shaking his head in disbelief._

_ Ian nodded. "It does. Can you do that?"_

_"Well yeah but…"_

_"The summer is over, it doesn't matter if it works the right way or not, I've got people melting here so if you can do it Randall, get on it." Regina barked. "Ian, sign whatever needs to be signed."_

_ Ian's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Yeah…sure…" he doubled over, leaning on the top of his thigh and scribbling in his information._

_ "Emma, go ahead and finish what you were doing in the kitchen and take a break." Regina ordered, effectively dismissing Emma from the group. "Katherine, I'm going to need you to stay with these two while they do whatever they have to do try to keep it to a minimum, I don't want anyone to notice what's going on."_

_ "Got it." Katherine mock saluted as Regina marched off to find Rupert, shaking her head in disappointment. _It's just not going to get easier is it?_ She thought to herself, winding through partygoers, nodding every so often as a gracious host would, secretly wanting to crawl into her car and sleep. She found Rupert seated on a marble bench, a cold bottle of Corona in her hand. _

_ "Ah, you've returned. I was beginning to think I was going to enjoy this alone." He held out another bottle to Regina, who took it and promptly squeezed the lime wedge, dropped it into the bottleneck and overturned it, her thumb blocking the spout. "Had one or two have you?" Rupert joked, sliding over giving Regina space to sit._

_ "Needing one actually." Regina joked, licking her thumb free from the suds, clinking her bottle against Rupert's. "So. How's the restaurant business?"_

_ Rupert chuckled, "Same as it ever was. I see you've taken a shine to catering."_

_"Can't stand it, but I've learned more than I thought I would."_

_ "Careful, I started as a busboy and look at me now."_

_"Yes. Dressed in all black at a white party in the Hamptons." _

_Rupert took a pull from his bottle, wrinkling his nose at the taste. "Beer never really did it for me, ale maybe but this," he took another sip, "this is an acquired taste."_

_ "Well when you spend early beer drinking days in college bars, this is what you grow accustomed to."_

_ "That's Katherine talking. You know I showed you far better than this."_

_"That you did."_

_ "How much are you enjoying being a sous chef, Regina?"_

_"I think I'm capable of much more Rupert." Regina took another pull from her beer, the amber liquid warming her insides. "I enjoy it but I think I'm ready for the next step."_

_"The Beacon needs a general manager. I like Peter just fine but he's executive chef material, I don't see him making bigger decisions." Rupert said, staring off into space, the thumb of his right hand absently picking at the bottle's label. "Interested?"_

_ Regina felt a roar of triumph in her chest, feigning her excitement with another pull on her beer. "What would it entail?"_

_ "Well, you'd apprentice as it were with me. I'd show you front end operation, business side of things."_

_ "For The Beacon?"_

_Rupert nodded, eyeing the bottle thoughtfully before turning his gaze on Regina, the beginnings of a smile on her face. "Yes and if you do well with that, I can see you operating another restaurant in no time."_

_ Regina smiled, forgetting her place and leaning over to pull Rupert into a hug._

_"I need a formal response, dear." Rupert grumbled, awkwardly returning Regina's hug. _

_ Regina pulled back, fixing herself and putting on her most professional facial expression. "Rupert, I accept your offer."_

_ "That's better." He toasted her bottle with his, the both of them taking a healthy swig before the lights went out._

_ "What the hell?!" Katherine barked from the basement where she, Ian and Randall were trying to trying to find the power source for the cooling system. Emma made her way to the door, her feeling along the wood paneling of the door and opening it. She pulled out a small flashlight from her waistband, shining it down the steps. _

_ "Hey you guys alright?" Emma called down, the beam shining around in the darkness. _

_ "We're fine, did the power go out?" Katherine hollered back._

_Emma looked up at the ceiling, reaching for the nearby light switch, flicking it up and down for a moment as though it would make a difference. "Yep." She covered her mouth to stifle the chuckle that threatened to bubble up. She glanced over her shoulder and found Guy leaning against the counter, arms folded across his chest, a grin on his face. "You wanna help?"_

_ Guy held up his hands, "Not at all." he replied with a chuckle as he watched the drama unfold._

_ "Christ, Randall have you actually ever done this before?!" _

_Regina stormed into the kitchen, her face beet red as she spotted Emma, flashlight in hand staring up at the ceiling. "What did you do?" she asked._

_ "Nothing. They went down there to see where the central cooling unit's power source is and…I guess they hit the wrong thing. It's fixable." Emma replied, "Right, guys, it's fixable?" she called down the stairs._

_ "Yep. Aye, you wanna flip that fan since you know, everything's dead?" Randall replied with a grunt. "My stuff is still up here by the fan, since you want to be all big and bad."_

_ Emma turned on her heel and ran right into Regina, her eyes twin pools of anger. "Where are you going?"_

_ "To flip the fan, the faster I do it, the faster he can turn the lights back on and then I go back to checking on the ice cream." Emma replied, a little off put by how close Regina was to her. She could smell lime and beer on her breath and was a little jealous._

_ Regina looked past Emma towards the door, where a white light danced around. She presumed that was Katherine's cell phone light on, guiding the two fools with her around the basement. "Hurry up."_

_ Emma was outside before Regina could add anything else to her order. She slipped out of her work jacket, draping it on a nearby chair and set to work. Her lower back was slick with sweat by the time she managed to pull the top grate off and reveal the offending fan. It was caked black with grime. "Crap." She looked up and around for a nearby hose, hoping that her big mouth hadn't gotten her into trouble. She found the garden shed and dragged the hose out as far as it would go, grateful that most of the guests had in fact wandered over to towards the still raging bonfire, guided by the lights in the sand. She nodded towards the outdoor grill guys who were on their phones, texting or reclining in chairs as she rested the hose on the ground. She managed to dislodge the fan from the gear. She propped it onto the concrete ground and reached for the hose._

_No water rushed out._

_"Crap." She muttered, turning to see if she'd even turned the handle._

_"Allow me." A polite voice offered, the water suddenly gurgling out of the nozzle. _

_"Thanks." Emma replied over the sudden surge in water pressure. She hosed down the whole fan, using a rag to wipe down the grime, marveling at how the fan went from dingy gray to sparkling steel, fresh as the day it was installed. _

_"Emma Swan I presume?" the voice continued, a figure approaching Emma's line of limited sight as she worked._

_"Yeah." Emma replied, squinting in the moonlight as she worked. "Who's asking?"_

_"Rupert Gold."_

_"Oh, well, nice to meet you Mr. Gold. I'd uh, shake your hand but…" she waved a dirty right hand towards him. "How can I help you?"_

_"I wanted to compliment you on the wildberry torte you made. Quite the treat."_

_"Oh, thanks. They were kind of last minute." _

_Rupert chuckled, watching as Emma dried off the fan and hefted it, returning it to it's housing. She wiped at her forehead with her tanktop, dimly aware that Rupert was watching her with interest. _

_"That doesn't look like dessert." Rupert said, an amused look on his face. "Do you make it a habit to think on your feet, Ms. Swan?" Rupert asked, leaning on his cane while Emma used the power drill to return the screws back into place._

_"I guess so. I mean…what, with the tortes? That was just…I had the pieces in place, figured why not use them, right?"_

_"And the one woman repair shop?"_

_"Oh, this." Emma chuckled, wiping her hands down with the dirty rag. "Well, the guy is downstairs and I've done this before." She shrugged. _

_"Are you content with this lifestyle?" _

_"That's kind of a heavy question."_

_"I simply mean with the catering business being so…mercurial. What are your long term goals?"_

_"Not really sure. I'm honestly just going with whatever comes."_

_Rupert moved closer. "Are you aware Ms. Swan that you took whatever was packed up into that truck and made the one thing that truly stood out in this menu. In a sea of sweets you made something that was truly unique."_

_"It's just a torte."_

_"How would you like to hone your craft in one of my kitchens?"_

_"What, like as a private chef?"_

_Rupert chuckled. "No, I'm assuming you haven't heard of me."_

_"Up until this point, no." Emma replied honestly. "Sorry."_

_"I am the owner of several of New York's top restaurants." _

_Emma's jaw dropped, "You're _that_ Rupert Gold."_

_"That I am." He grinned. "So you have heard of me."_

_Emma nodded, suddenly embarrassed. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that."_

_"No matter. It's refreshing. I have a need for new and exciting pastries. I particularly enjoy the way you work and I would like for you to come meet me soon to discuss matters of your future in this industry." He slipped his right hand into the pocket of his jacket, producing a simple white business card. "I think you have a great future ahead of you, Ms. Swan. Do think about it, won't you?" he turned and walked off towards the shed again, shutting the water off and approaching the food tent. Emma stood in the moonlight struck dumb with her luck, card in her hand, reading the fine lettering over and over._

_"Was that Rupert?" Katherine asked as the lights immediately switched back on, the sounds of cheers erupting from the beach as music blared from the speakers and the outdoor fan whirled back to life._

_"Uh, yeah."_

_"What was he doing back here?"_

_"Oh. I dunno…" Emma pocketed the card. "Fan is fixed." She was almost past Katherine when she grabbed her by her left bicep, stopping her in her tracks._

_"Wait." Katherine said, holding Emma so that they were parallel to each other. "What did he say to you?"_

_"Nothing." Emma replied, staring at Katherine through narrowed eyes._

_11 11 11 11 11_

_ Emma pulled out a folding chair from the table, turned it out towards the water, watching the bonfire as it raged on, music still thumping from the speakers. She checked her watch, it was a little after eleven and the party was still going on. She popped the lid to the Tupperware and studied the flaky pastry contained within. She'd taken a bowl of ice cream just in case but looking at it, the ice cream was going to take away from the flavor. She let it sit on the table, melting slightly, the spoon buried underneath the mountain of vanilla. Her fork poised over the pastry, Emma toasted herself, she was going to call Rupert and Regina wasn't going to stop her. She dug in, immediately biting in fresh apple, butter, sugar, cinnamon and something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. It wasn't ginger. Maybe lemon? She continued eating, delighting in the flavor euphoria the pastry was inducing in her; it was as though she'd never had an apple turnover before. Rather than drizzling icing, Regina's recipe called for something different, it was a turnover, completely baked apple and caramel wrapped inside a flaky handmade crust; Emma was so glad she hadn't drizzled icing, that always cut into the tartness of the apple. Maybe that's what it was, the type of apple she used. She needed to know the secret to this turnover. She slowed down, savoring the flavor._

_ "There you are." Regina's voice cut into Emma's food fueled thoughts. "I've been looking for you."_

_ Emma turned, crumbs on her chin from the turnover. "Oh hey." She managed to say. "Everything alright?"_

_ "Yes, everything is fine." Regina replied, taking the chair next to Emma and sitting down. "Thank you for your help. Again."_

_ "Does it get me more apple turnovers?" Emma asked eagerly. _

_Regina chuckled. "Perhaps."_

_ "This is amazing, Regina." Emma replied, licking at the tines of her fork. _

_"Thank you, it's quite the compliment coming from the pastry chef, slash handy woman." _

_ Emma shrugged. "It's no big deal." _

_"It's impressive." _

_"You're the impressive one." Emma replied, closing the Tupperware with a sigh. "That was incredible. I could sleep forever after that."_

_ "Well, no naps just yet, I still need your help with closing out everything…"_

_"That's what I'm here for."_

_ They sat in silence watching the shore, the fire still going, casting a deep orange glow across the dunes and the people gathered around it. "I don't even think the noticed the power went out."_

_ "They noticed." Emma answered, simply. "They're just out doing their own thing."_

_"Shame, disasters aside, this is a lovely party." _

_ Katherine guided the fire department down towards the bonfire, the partygoers giggling as they shuffled back up towards the house where various valet cars pre-arranged pulled up, their passenger side windows holding signs with guest names written on them. _

_ Regina was walking with Rupert, escorting him to his car. He turned before getting in. "Would you tell Ms. Swan I send my regards?" _

_ Regina's jaw tightened. "Yes, I will."_

_ Emma loaded up the nearest truck with supplies, stretching her back once it slid towards the back of the cabin. _

_ "Ms. Swan." Regina's tone was grim as she approached, her flats soundless on the concrete. "A word."_

_ Emma's eyes went wide and she met Regina halfway down the driveway while the rest of the staff worked on loading up the trucks. "What's up?"_

_ "What's up?" Regina mocked, her hands immediately going to her hips in distaste. "How do you know Mr. Gold?"_

_ "I don't know him. I met him while I was fixing the fan…"_

_"Did you know he was going to be here?"_

_"No I didn't."_

_"Have you ever met him before?"_

_ "No…I'd heard of him but never actually met him or see him. Regina what's this about?"_

_"You know what this is about. You spoke to him."_

_Emma cocked her head with confusion. "Well, yeah but I didn't know that wasn't allowed."_

_ "It seems you've taken my advice a little too close to the heart." Regina replied, bringing her arms to cross her chest, her jaw set._

_ "What? What're you talking about?"_

_"I would've expected this from someone else but…from you…well…no, I take that back, this is exactly what someone like you does."_

_ "Someone like me?" Emma asked in surprise. "What're you talking about Regina?"_

_ "You saw an opportunity and you took it, didn't you? Deliberately set me up so you could look good."_

_"I really didn't though…" _

_ Regina stepped up to Emma, inches separating them, staring Emma down. "Sabotaging some party is one thing, I can recover from that, but you, whatever fantasy you had about a career, consider that finished. You're done, Ms. Swan." _

_ Emma swallowed hard as Regina moved away, barking orders to the bewildered staff who'd watched the heated exchange. She flinched as Katherine approached, holding Emma's chef jacket and her check._

_ "You told her." Emma said, her jaw set with anger. _

_ "Rupert is Regina's godfather. I'm sure you popped up in conversation."_

_"Oh." Emma felt the card burning a hole in her rear pocket. _

_"She will not take too kindly if you speak to him."_

_"I won't tell if you wont." Emma replied, staring at her shadow under the glow of the moon. _

_"Good luck to you Ms. Swan."_


End file.
